The HAGAR Hardship is Over

After a nearly 3 week ordeal, my hassle with taking the HAGAR is over.

Any paragliding pilot in Canada seeking an intermediate rating needs to take this test (Hang Gliding Air Regulations Exam) but it's a ridiculous and expensive process to do so.

My journey started way back in September when Oscar and I figured it'd be a good idea to get the HAGAR out of the way. I made some phone calls to some local air training colleges, and most hadn't even heard of the test. After having them look it up, less than half actually offered it, and exam fees averaged around $100. I reported my findings to HPAC, who said they were currently reviewing issues surrounding the HAGAR.

Months passed, and although the exam was at the back of my mind, travel, other commitments, and perhaps too much procrastination got in the way of my attempting the test. After returning from the Dominican in February, I vowed to set an exam date, and get it over with.

SpringBank Air Training College (SATC) offers the test, and as they were extremely helpful, I decided to take the test from them. I spent the next couple weeks spending time learning the material from HPAC's study guide, and trying to decipher VFR maps. It was a lot of material to remember and was very intimidating at first.

I called SATC to schedule the test, when they asked me if I had a medical completed. As I did not, I was advised that I would be unable to complete the exam without one. A class 1, 3, or 4 medical is accepted, and as class 4 can be performed by your family doctor, naturally, I tried this route first.

Unfortunately my timing was off, as my doctor was in Mexico and his temporary replacement would not do the medical for me, so I instead opted for the class 3 medical, which can only be performed by an aviation doctor. During the medical, there was some confusion regarding the necessity of an audiogram, but I took my chances, and decided not to get one. Thankfully too, being under 40, I did not have to worry about having an EKG done, but the cost of the medical was still $90.

I then waited until Transport Canada received the medical from the doctor so that the test could be ordered. It turned out an audiogram was not required, so I could breathe a sigh of relief. I then scheduled the HAGAR with SATC, and took it today at a cost of $110. Yes, I passed, but certainly not with the grade I was looking for. I really wish HPAC would expand the HAGAR study guide to include at least a basic outline of how VFR maps are to be properly read.

Maybe after reading this, my ordeal with the HAGAR doesn't sound like too much of a hassle. But in reality, it was an extremely frustrating process involving many phone calls and a lot of wasted time. If Transport Canada wants paraglider and hang glider pilots to take an exam, the exam process should not be more complex than the exam itself. Spending $200 on an exam that used to be free creates barriers for those looking for a simple rating, but cannot justify spending that kind of money. It is rather sad that this process was like pulling teeth, when it wouldn't take much for it to be simplified.

The people at SATC were great, and did a fantastic job answering questions and doing their best to help out. I have also learned that apparently a medical is no longer required to take the HAGAR, only a signature by the applicant. The HAGAR itself may also possibly be administered by PG and HG clubs themselves in the future, and there is rumour it may be eliminated all together.

After taking the exam and going through the material, I think elimination of the test would be a mistake. The material is important for PG and HG pilots to be familiar with, as likely sometime in ones flying career, things like classes of airspace and understanding correct radio frequencies, will become issues. That being said, I think an update to HPAC's current study guide is in order, and prep courses offered by HG and PG clubs should be available.

I will write an official letter to HPAC and to Transport Canada outlining my experiences with the HAGAR, with the hope that future pilots will not have to endure the same painful process.

Website Updates, and Crappy Weather

Ok, I finally created a gallery of images from my trip to the Dominican. I'm still waiting for pictures from somebody that starts with the letter B, but I won't name names!
Check it out: Dominican Republic, 2007.

Please don't point out how the Dominican gallery page is not very pretty - I really tried to get the program I used to align the pictures the way it did in the past, but it wouldn't listen to me. *sob*

I also fixed the archiving section on the right hand side again. My server loves creating extra work for me, but hah, I can still outwit it any day!

One of these days maybe I'll post the 5 flying-related pictures from Lanzarote in the gallery, and I'll update the "sites flown" section of the website. I guess I should really stop spending so much time on this website and blog, but it's like an incredibly addictive modern-day version of scrapbooking...no wait, that makes me sound really old. It's um, like a digital diary. Yeah, that sounds better.

I'm scared to look outside - Calgary is under a winter storm warning right now. It's almost April for Pete's Sake! This yo-yo weather is so tiring....I think I should start to look for another part of the world to live in.

Ok, no more complaining about the weather - even I'm starting to wish I'd shut up. On another paragliding related note, I'm still studying for the HAGAR and want to write it soon. Memorizing classes of airspace and general aviation rules are a lot to digest. I'm finding the test really intimidating, especially since it's been such a pain in the ass to even get going on it...I just want to pass it, and never have to worry about it again.

I need something positive to end this depressing positing with. Oh, I know, a funny quote that will forever make me laugh:

"Aw, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Forfty percent of all people know that."
- Homer Simpson quote from Simpsons Episode: "Homer the Vigilante"

First Flights of the Season

Yesterday I had my first official flights out in Cochrane this season.

I got out there early in the morning, and the wind was cross and strong. Yes, I called the windtalker before going, and yes it said those exact same things, but hey, there's always hope. But lo and behold, the wind only got stronger by the time I got out there. Instead, Thomas and I went for coffee out in Cochrane, so at least my trip out there wasn't completely wasted.


On my way home I got a ticket for doing an illegal u-turn at a set of lights (this is perfectly legal in Manitoba, but not in Alberta. Apparently motorists are expected to abide by laws they may be unaware of, so naturally, I was ticked), but despite being agitated, ventured out to Cochrane again closer to the evening. The wind seemed to have died, but by the time I got out there this second time, the 'window of flyability' was gone again. Some hangies were in the air though, but again, way too strong for the flexi-wings.

Anyway, a few of us went for some food and non-alcoholic bevys, and returned to the hill. This time around, things were sorable. Man, my ridge-soaring skills need improvement, and so unsurprisingly, I didn't stay up long. I found the conditions a bit tricky to soar in, and as I wasn't the only one to sink out, maybe they were. I did do a pretty good side-hill landing though, although both flights were really, just sled runs. Crappy, but hey, a flight is a flight.

The Panorama Easter Meet is a definite no-go for me this year, once again. Two weeks ago there were some issues that were preventing me from going, and although these sorted themselves out, a friend who I haven't seen for years is in town that weekend and that definitly takes priority. I'll say it again - "next year!"

All, in all, I'm still optmistic about flying this season. I gained 5 hours airtime in the Dominican, and although the additional airtime amount doesn't sound impressive, I learned a lot. I'm really looking forward to thermalling again...

Work Should be Fun

I feel like complaining: I'm so bored... I hate staying at home and being on Worker's Compensation - it sucks! Stupid shoulder/bicep/pinched nerve...injuries are stupid. Newsflash: waitressing is bad for your body!

I'm hoping to return to work the first week of April bartending part time. Not that bartending is exactly easy on your shoulders (when you pour drinks, the counter they sit on is quite high), but hopefully by then I won't have any muscle spasms and will be able to do my job.

I'm just so antsy about everything again...maybe because I've been at home too long and have had time to think about things, or I have a mild case of ADD. I keep thinking how the hell I'll continue to make a living 5 years from now having loads of fun and making money, without getting stuck in the rat race; 9-5 is something I want to avoid - been there, done that.***

So I'm thinking I should do something unconventional again and like work someplace close to some (preferably warm) world class flying site that has a gondola running up it, so that I can fly all day. I should bartend in a foreign country in the evenings, and fly during the day. How sweet would that be? But then you start picking apart your own crazy ideas, and you quickly realize that it would be more challenging to do something like that then first appears; working visas, club connections, language barriers, employment availability, accommodations - ugh, why can't these things be simpler?

Maybe I should just screw the whole working for somebody else thing, and get my internet shit together. I was recently transferred ownership of a really neat website (market research related of course) that I hope to turn into something really big. A friend of mine is going to do all the programming while I take care of the business and revenue generation portion of it. It's great to have a new project, but these things take time of course.

You know, if I can pull this thing off, all I'd need is a laptop with me, and I could travel the world, sit on launch, and type away. Ok, maybe there'd be no wi-fi connection up there, but you get my point. Or if the stupid markets wouldn't be so damn volatile, I could experiment with day trading again. Lots of options if you can figure out how to make money with just a computer and an internet hookup.

Auuuggghhh, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I've made a choice to sacrifice security for freedom, but that's exactly what causes so much instability in my life...but instability is exciting!

To me, paragliding is probably such an attractive sport because it is so unconventional, and you can mould it so many different ways. It's not a sport like soccer where you're bound by rules that you simply play within. Paragliding is like biking - you see how far you can take your piece of equipment, testing the limits of it and yourself along the way.

Anyway, I'm blabbing on about nothing again. I guess this head-bashing-against-the-wall boredom is just getting the best of me right now. Lesson learned: when something hurts at work, tell someone, and see a doctor before you end up missing work because you're especially good at ignoring your body and thought things were "fine".

***I talked to a coworker on the phone today about how a benefit of bartending is that it allows you to whip lemon wedges at people and it looks really funny when it rebounds off their heads (yeah yeah, so what if I'm immature?) Anyway, having a jar of lemon wedges on your desk at your cubicle and throwing them at passers-by would probably be a bit too conspicuous in an office setting - I think I should stay away until I loose my wacky sense of humour.

Reserve Clinic and Other Stuff

For the third year in a row today I attended the annual Muller Windsports Reserve Clinic held at a local community centre.

The clinic provides a great opportunity for pilots new and old, to throw their reserve out of their harness, which is hung on a contraption made of two ladders and a wooden pole. Vincene was saying how this year the number of successful deployments was excellent as opposed to previous years. It's scary to think how many pilots are flying around with reserves that are not properly deployable - one can only hope they never have to use them in real-life situations.

The reserve clinic is great because it's nice and social - you catch up with people you haven't seen since the fall and dream about the adventures that await in the summer. Since I've got back from the Dominican, I've been very frustrated with Canadian weather - it's really clear now how truly short our flying season is out here and how we do live in a very frigid part of the world! When I left for the Canary Islands, it was winter. When I returned, it was winter. When I left for the Dominican, it was winter. When I returned, it was still winter. Will it ever end?

Anyway, so yes, I do enjoy the social aspect of paragliding. Surprisingly, Doug showed up at the clinic - it was fantastic to see him out of a hospital bed and walking (albeit with cane in hand). What a nice surprise! I'm so happy that he's doing so well, and that normalcy is returning to his life. Because he's such a talented pilot and he was still misfortunate out in Costa Rica, I think his accident made a lot of us re-think paragliding safety and understand how quickly things can turn sour with only one small error in judgement. It's just good to have him back - I hope he decides to continue flying.

Speaking of flying mishaps, having to repeat the story of my incident with power lines in Lanzarote was something I could have done without today. Yes, it's important that others learn from my mistake and don't repeat it and that of course I never make the same mistake again, but that accident tends to hang over my head like a dark cloud which just won't go away. My goal for this year is to do something really special - fly a long XC, or do a cool acro move, or win something at a competition - anything! I really need something to offset that Canary Islands shit show - emotionally that accident still tends to haunt me.

So, I'm still debating whether or not to go to the Panorama Easter meet. For some strange reason, I have a bit of an aversion to skiing, and I don't really know why. I suppose that considering the number of times I've done it, I'm pretty decent, but there's just something about the sport that doesn't click. I guess with the Easter meet, it's one of those things where if the weather sucked and it wasn't flyable, I don't see myself making good use of that lift ticket. Besides that, there's always the financial considerations and although the weekend out at Panorama would be 'cheap', when you don't have that extra disposable income, you pay much more attention to where your pennies are going.

That's not to say my paragliding budget fund is empty - funding for a new wing is available! This is something that still "in the works" and I hope to find out more soon. Spring always reminds me of change and new beginnings - it would be so fitting to have a new wing to fly.

Ahhh, I've had my blog fix - it's always nice to share my inner ramblings.