Golden Ball Closed on Thursday 13th October 2011 (Updated 10th Oct 2011)

There is a horse event at the landowner's farm on Thursday 13th October so no flying allowed at Golden Ball that day.

RAF Lyneham Now Closed/Deactivated (Updated 1st Oct 2011)

As reported via NOTAM Lyneham airspace is now closed and deactivated its CTR/CTA and ATZ. As XC Pilots you can now fly over this area. Please still refer to NOTAM regardsd other restrictions in the area for a given day.

White Hill - new WNW-NW site

We are pleased to provide a new site to our members. Please note however this is a very sensitive area and close proximity to horses. It is a very small site with trees and other hazards and for now its restricted to pilots only.

RAF Lyneham CTR/CTA and ATZ deactivated (Updated August 2011)

For various logistic reasons the Class D airspace CTR/CTA and the ATZ associated with RAF Lyneham is now suspended as mentioned by NOTAM. This means that we are able to fly though the airspace weekdays or weekends, but you must check that there is no changes to the NOTAM via the AIS (NATS) website.

B1286/11: Lyneham: Class B, C, D, or E Surface Area changed
EGTT/QACCH/IV/NBO/AE/000/065/5130N00200W006

RAF LYNEHAM AERODROME CLSD TO ALL ACFT EXCEPT PRE-NOTIFIED MOVEMENTS. AD ACTIVATION WILL BE BY NOTAM AND PPR IS MANDATORY. NO PRACTICE DIVERSIONS ACCEPTED. LYNEHAM CLASS D AIRSPACE (CTR AND CTA) AND ATZ TEMPO SUSPENDED PENDING PERMANENT CLOSURE OF THE AIRSPACE ON 30 SEP 11. ASSOCIATED VISUAL REFERENCE POINTS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL 30 SEP 11. ATZ ACTIVATED BY NOTAM

FROM: 19 Jul 2011 16:00 GMT (17:00 BST) TO: 30 Sep 2011 23:00 GMT (00:00 BST)

Please bear in mind:
- ATZ is only temporary so may be activated by NOTAM (ensure you check).
- Even when CTR/CTA is withdrawn completely, the odd Herc will still be using Lyneham, so continue to keep a good look out.
- Check NOTAMs for any changes as they may reactivate the airspace at any time.

Bank Holiday Site Closures

Please remember that Rybury and Uffington are both CLOSED (according to the terms of the site agreements) on bank holiday weekends. This means NO FLYING at either site on 1, 2, 3, 29, 30, 31 May. Also, a reminder: when flying Milk White Horse, please take off and land only on the western shoulder of the ridge as shown in the sites guide. DO NOT take off and land near the top fence, or along the S-facing slope towards the horse. Natural England are watching!

Milk Hill & Milk Hill White Horse - No top up requirement for £5 million Insurance (Reminder June 2011)

£5M insurance is now part of your standard membership with the BHPA and therefore no top up insurance is required. Note this information is valid as update 3rd June 2011.

Caution when flying other clubs sites

When flying other clubs site under our reciprocal agreements, please ensure you are familiar with and comply with the relevant site rules. The following is an extract from an email addressed to our club:

There is a problem with pilots arriving at Butser who claim to be Thames members or brought to the site by a Thames member. Like most sites it is a delicate arrangement we have with the landowners. Some of these pilots are flying without knowledge of the site rules.
... Last weekend there was tension between the club and the Meon Valley Soaring Club as their airspace was being infringed. We have been warned that any incidents will result with a flying ban.
... It is the duty of the first pilot on the hill to call the farmer who owns the landing fields for permission. This wasn't done until 2-30pm when a SSC member made the call only to receive an sarcastic comment in reply , but he didn't say no.. This time!!

Please don't be the one to upset any of these finely-balanced site agreements.

Uffington Agreement Signed

At last we have a formal agreement with the National Trust to fly Uffington White Horse. It is a sensitive site and we do not want to upset them - especially at the outset - and it can get very busy on summer weekends. Read the sites guide, and be aware:-

* it is closed to us on Bank Holidays and weekends during the school summer holidays (dates to be advised later). Go to Combe Gibbet instead!

* pilot rating required. Emphatically no red ribbons

* obey the car parking rules - and pay!

* paragliders only :-( Maybe hang gliders later, but only PGs while they get used to us. It is a long carry-up anyway

Maybe I have forgotten something, but read the sites guide!

Alexander KW

Airspace crossing negotiated - P106 Harwell

CONDITIONS: The crossing service has been negotiated by the controlling club: Thames Valley Hang Gliding Club. The crossing service is available on the condition that pilots are flying in a competition organised by the controlling club. For the purposes of this agreement the British Paragliding XC League is considered a competition, but this does mean that a flight using this service has to be entered in the XCL with GPS evidence, this will enable the flight to be checked to verify the conditions were met. Pilots must have recieved a briefing beforehand on using the service. Flights will be policed through the British Paragliding XC League (http://www.pgcomps.org.uk/) Service will be available from 1st April to 30th September. Initially, the service will only be used by pilots using Thames Valley Sites. No flights to be made at night (This doesn't apply to us anyway as we can't really fly at night!). No Photography of the establishment.

PROCEDURE: 1. On the day you will need to contact one of the named TVHGC Club contacts with your approximate time zone of crossing, who will then phone Harwell and activate the crossing service. Richard Westgate (07974208076) Richard Bungay (07778966887) Mark Jones (07977237798) 2. When crossing the P106 area you must not fly over or within the area contained by the boundary fence of the nuclear establishment or in such a manner that would force you to land or fall within this area in the event of an accident, failing to find lift or hitting strong sink. 3. Don't take any photos in the area. 4. When you have completed your flight you MUST submit it to the XC League and you MUST upload a tracklog that shows at least the crossing of P106.

Hopefully this crossing service will be of a great benefit to XC flights from our sites as it effectively reduces the size of P106 from 4nm (7.5km) diameter to just 2km greatly widening the corridor in which we can transit through. It will also make it easy to head for Didcot power station which is a well known thermal source/trigger. Please take great care when using this service that the correct procedure is followed to ensure it's continued availability to us. Please find here a copy of the agreement from the CAA. Thanks to Rich Westgate for his work in getting this agreement put in place.

Rybury CLOSED on all bank holiday weekends (Updated June 2011)

Rybury, a highly sensitive site, is closed all bank holiday weekends, including Bank Holiday Mondays.

Milk Hill (Reminder June 2011)

The narrow triangular field below the road is closed 1st April to 31st August because of the butterflies. Outside that time pilots can land in it if they wish (especially if flying back towards their cars parked at the bottom by the barn), but do not fly right to the pointy end; there is a sensitive nest site in the scrub by the gate so please land 100 metres short of the gate. Please also remember only 5 pilot cars are allowed in the top car park, if it's full drop off your kit quickly then park tidily at the lower barn. On your way up the track remember 10 mph max.

Combe Gibbet (Updated February 2011)

Combe Gibbet is now Open until 1st September 2011.

Tan Hill and Rybury (Updated June 2011)

Tan Hill and Rybury will not be closing in 2011 for lambing but do check the notice on the gates. Please remember that the farmer is super-sensitive about people flying unaccompanied (£50 penalty to charity via me and him), walking up to Tan the wrong way, or landing outside the designated (awkward) landing areas (penalty £10 payable to him!). Otherwise he is very supportive. Keep a lookout on the website for updates and remember if the sign on the gate says "closed" don't fly.

Rybury (Updated January 2009)

Rybury has reopened, but is VERY sensitive, please respect the site as it is one of the best XC sites for experienced pilots and could easily be lost for ever. This site is strictly FULL TVHGC MEMBERS only. Keep a lookout on the website for updates and remember if the sign on the gate says "closed" don't fly.

Oliver's Castle - CLOSED

We again have problems at Olivers Castle. Due to overuse and misuse by pilots and other members of the public the farmer has closed Olivers castle. We will try to regain the site for paragliding but in the meantime please refrain from flying the site.

Whitefield Hill - CLOSED

Due to the proximity of the airstrip at Whitefield and the experience level of the pilots using it this site is now closed.