F.A.Q. Regarding DNR, Tandem and Commercial Insurance Requirments
- What are the common requirements that any pilot needs to meet in order to fly at Tiger Mountain (regardless of whether this is a HG/PG/solo/tandem/commercial pilot) ?
- USHPA membership (either annual or 30-day)
- Wear a helmet (per the USHPA site license)
- What does "commercial" mean when it is used in the following questions?
The word commercial is used when money is charged for any goods sold or services provided. In general, this means conducting any kind of business. Examples include - charging money for a tandem flight, any business advertising on the kiosk, charging money for shuttle rides.
- What's a "commercial" tandem flight?
A tandem flight provided in exchange for money.
Typically this means a tandem flight sold by someone who operates a business.
Flying friends or family without any monetary consideration is not a "commercial" flight.
- How can I get to launch without driving my own vehicle?
- Hike to launch
- Ride the shuttle
- If I wanted to drive my own vehicle to launch, what do I need to do?
See the FAQ regarding Tiger Mt. Road, Keys, Access & Fees
- If I wanted to drive my own vehicle to launch for purposes of a commercial activity, what do I need to do?
You'll need to take the actions listed in (5) above.
Additionally, you'll need a $1 million car insurance policy (details available on request).
- What if I'm not involved in a commercial activity myself, but am giving a ride to a commercial tandem operator?
The answer is the same as for (6) above.
- What conditions do paragliding businesses need to satisfy to conduct commercial activity at Tiger?
(Example: Tandem Flights, Training, Sales etc.)
- Business owners need to have a Land Use License issued by the DNR.
- Tandem pilots and instructors employed by the business need to be a member of the NWPC (or)
the business owner should have proof of his/her own $2 million site insurance
- What is the Land Use License?
DNR owns the property at the Tiger North and South launches, as well as the road to the launches. The DNR wants any person(s) operating a commercial business to sign a Land Use License agreement with them. As the land owner, the DNR has the final say on what is acceptable on the land they're responsible for maintaining. However, the DNR area manager has worked to ensure that this agreement will not be too burdensome on the business owners.
- How do I apply for a Land Use License?
Applications will be reviewed during an open enrollment period by DNR.
The term of the LUL will be dependent on activity level, history, accidents, etc.
A "Green Permit" will be issued by the DNR to commercial tandem operators and will need to be carried on site at all times.
- If I'm a tandem pilot, what conditions do I need to satisfy to fly tandem on a non-commercial basis?
Example: Alice wants to fly her uncle Bob tandem on his birthday.
In addition to the requirements listed in (1) above, the tandem pilot (Alice, in our example) needs to be a member of the NWPC.
- If I'm a non-commercial tandem pilot and a commercial operator asks me to fly tandem under his banner on a one-off basis, what conditions need to be met?
Example: Will is not a commercial tandem pilot. Acme Paragliding has more tandem passengers on a given Sunday than the number of instructors they employ. What needs to happen before Will can help out his buddy at Acme Paragliding?
Acme Paragliding needs to meet requirements set forth in (8) above. This means that Will needs to be a member of the NWPC or Acme needs to have its own $2 million site insurance.
- What are my options if I see what I perceive to be a violation of the common requirements (see Q 1)?
Please provide details of the violation to a board member of the NWPC.
Contact information for the board is available at www.nwparagliding.com/about/board.html.
At your discretion, you may also talk to the violator and explain what you believe to be the violation.
See the next question for more details.
- If I'm a NWPC club member, am I expected to enforce anything?
Am I authorized to enforce anything?
The NWPC is not authorized to perform any enforcement of the DNR rules.
There is also no expectation on the membership to enforce any of these rules.
That said, violation of these rules could put all of us at risk of not being able to do something we cherish at Tiger Mountain.
Any effort to avoid or prevent violations will be welcome.
- If I'm a NWPC board member, am I expected to enforce anything?
Am I authorized to enforce anything?
Same as Q.14
- After all these years of unregulated free flying at Tiger, who is framing all these rules?
The DNR is the owner of the property at North/South launch, as well as the road to launch. They are making serious investments into improving and maintaining the quality of the road to launch ($100,000 already procured for upgrading the road to launch - work to be done over summer 2008). They are also requiring a $2 million insurance policy for all commercial operators. DNR being the land owner has the final say on what is acceptable on this land. These additional/new requirements are being put forth by the DNR.
- Can you tell me more about the $2 million insurance policy that DNR requires for all commercial operators?
The DNR requires $2 million site insurance for all commercial operators.
The standard USHPA site insurance is $1 million.
The additional cost of $1 million extra site insurance will be covered by the NWPC for tandem pilots who fly for the club during the annual fly-in.
So, if you're a USHPA member and a member of the NWPC, you're automatically covered.
- Are other organizations holding keys to the road being treated similarly?
No. DNR studies reveal that paragliding accounts for over 90% of the traffic on the road.