State Parks

Anyone who has heard me step up on my soap box knows that I am a strong proponent of saving what few flying sites remain in our area. If the closing of a site were an isolated event it would not be as big a deal. The problem with closing one site is the ripple effect: residents at one site complain that we are too dangerous or too noisy and that site gets closed. Then, by association, the next site gets closed to us - not because of any issue but because there may be a problem in the future. The first site sets the precedent and others follow.

Several pilots have tried to get involved in community support activities that can show our sport in a positive and productive light. One evening after flying at a beach site D. and I landed amidst police, fire and rescue personnel. Turns out there was a report of a boater adrift but the person reporting the incident didn't provide detailed information. Rescue personnel were trying to locate the boat from shore. After speaking with the police, we offered our services and pointed out that we could easily climb to an altitude that would allow us to see for several miles. We could then radio down and give people on the ground some idea of where boats were and if any appeared to be adrift.

Instead of taking us up on our offer, the policewoman we were speaking to stated that they had the situation under control - she allueded to the fact that most calls regarding boaters in trouble were made by "older folks in condos" and were not reliable - besides, we were not allowed to fly from the park and it would be best if we left her alone to do her job.

We have also offered our help to: Mote Marine (to do whatever they might need: monitor red tide, spot manatee, track marine migrations, whatever), Hurricane Relief, Search and Rescue, County Parks and Recreation (Lifeguards).

So much for community involvement.

All of this is just a lead-in to what I really wanted to talk about: state parks.

Wouldn't it be great to fly at all of the more than 150 Florida State Parks? OK, it is totally impractical to believe that we could safely take off and land in all State Parks but wouldn't it be great to be able to fly - just once - from all of those that could safely accomodate PPG's?

My belief is that we paid for these parks and although we don't want them destroyed by allowing dangerous, noisy PPG's in them all of the time, we would like to have an agreement that allows us to schedule one day at each of the parks for a limited number of pilots (Florida residents certified as capable PPG pilots) to use the park to enjoy our sport. It sounds fair to me but we all know that it will not be easy to make this happen. All it takes is one complaint or one incident and it's all over. On the other hand, if we behave and find ways to assist the parks and the local communities (fundraising maybe?), I believe that we have a shot at being invited to community events and, more importantly, to be invited to use public land.

In "Myakka: a prelude to state parks" I wrote about the Myakka River State Park. It's a great place but totally unflyable. It is mostly under water and what land is available is covered with palmetto, palm, oak and pine. This is fine because of the 34 state parks in the southwest region that I live in, 10 are beach sites. Today, I am headed out to another state park. Who knows, maybe by just hanging around on unflyable days an opportuinty will present itself.