Cabo de Santa Pola,

The soap continues.

Lately we had some very serieus accidents at our famous soaring home site Cabo de Santa Pola.    English pilot and spanish pilot both broke their back and both were in the fault flying the site at this time.

Those accidents made so much noise, it was all over in the press.   Politicians of the town Santa Pola, were ordering an urgent meeting.  Police chiefs were invited at the reunion to tell them their story about the accidents etc… .   A big mess.

Now this week we had a reunion with several authorities, politicians, police chiefs etc…

They listened to us and understood we have been neglected for years as an important part of the tourism industry, the sport industry in the region.   But they made us clear that this couldn’t go on forever, that some steps had to be made.

In short, pilots need to be member of the federacion.  Local pilots can stop visiting pilots when meteo conditions are not optimal, or technique of visiting pilot is not adequate to fly our site.   And, believe me that happens as well, when visiting pilots appear with not certified equipment, no reserve etc… .

Information boards will be put on different places near the take off, so nobody can neglect them anymore.   You will be asked to check the conditons through local pilots, school, clubs, us Doyouwanna.

So please, for the love of the sport, please respect this little rules.   They could have been worse.

I read the Skywings article from Steve Walsh, Attitude may 2012.   If you are british, read last alinea, and you will understand how I feel sometimes.  

For three years already we ask you to fly with a 5 euro helmet sticker.   This 5 euro goes to a special account, to maintain the sites clean and hassle free.   You only pay 5 euros for a whole year and this for flying all the sites near Alicante.

Flying with this sticker doesn’t mean though, that you can do whatever you want on our sites. 

For a very affordable democratic price, you can be guided, fly more than anyone else, and safer.   Andmaybe most important, fly together with the local pilots.

If you don’t agree with all this above, maybe you shoud choose another destination to play.

Hope to see you all guys,

Nick, Kath y Paco

Ps: I read the Skywings article from Steve Walsh, Attitude - may 2012.   If you are british, read last alinea, and you will understand how I feel sometimes.