Rules and Regulations of Mt. Brace Outdoor Club Ltd.

Paragliding and hang gliding are expressions of freedom, including our freedom to choose our own life and take our own risks. To sustain a flying Club in the US we have to stay aware of the context in which we fly. Here at Brace our launches are on N.Y. Taconic State Park land, and our privilege to launch there is revocable. Lawsuits of many kinds are always possible. We also have the usual potential for issues with the local landowners who are our neighbors.

Please, then, be respectful of the rules, of the rangers, and of all the people that you meet, in order that we may all be able to fly here for many years to come. You are an ambassador of our sport and of our Club! Thanks, and see you in the air.

The Pilot’s Checklist

To come out and fly you need the following:

  1. Current USHPA membership *
  2. Current Mt. Brace Outdoor Club, Ltd. membership, with a waiver signed each calendar year. Download the waiver and buy a Full membership online here [link] or you can buy a Day Pilot card in the LZ when you arrive
  3. USHPA P3/H3 rating or higher. P2/H2s can fly too but for safety reasons it’s a little more complicated - please see below
  4. A helmet and protective footwear
  5. A radio that can receive and transmit on the USHPA frequencies. The Club frequency is 151.505 MHz
  6. Sign in the Pilot book in the LZ before heading up to launch
  7. Call the ranger if you are the first pilot signing in or if you have any doubt whether the ranger has been called. It’s easy. Call (518) 329-3993 and say, “I’m calling from the Brace Club. I just wanted to let you know we will be flying today.”
  8. Directions and coordinates are here. [link]

If you are new here, you are welcome! Please read the rest of the Club rules before you come and arrange for a site intro from a member before you fly for the first time. To make an assessment about weather conditions, check forecasts for Millerton, NY. 12546

In addition to The Pilot’s Checklist mentioned above:

  1. You must be a member of the Mt. Brace Outdoor Club, Ltd. to fly or play in the LZ. Please carry your proof of membership (Membership card, helmet sticker, or Day Pilot card) with you, as well as your USHPA card.
    A Day Pilot card is required for each day; a weekend means 2 cards. Please fill out the forms and pay your fees in the LZ before heading to launch.
  2. While the N.Y. Taconic State Park is public land, their policy limits flying activity to Brace Club members only. This means that if you fly without joining first, a ranger can issue you an expensive citation.
  3. All members, pilots, non-pilots and guests, must sign a Club waiver once each calendar year. Please take responsibility for getting this done. Waivers have to be co-signed by a full Club member. You can download the waiver here. [link]
  4. Waivers are so important that we have to say this: In the event that you launch without having signed a waiver, be aware that:
    Regardless of anything else, your act of launching your aircraft signifies your full and complete acceptance of the waivers of both the Mt. Brace Outdoor Club, Ltd., and the US Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA). If you don’t accept the waivers, don’t fly.
  5. All of our mountain launches require a USHPA intermediate rating (P3/H3) or higher to fly unobserved.
  6. P2/H2 pilots must have a minimum of 10 mountain flights above 1,000 feet AGL witnessed by an instructor in their logbook to be released from instructor supervision at Mt. Brace. The main Mt. Brace launch is narrow, with uneven terrain, and even some very good pilots have been in the bushes. Good ground handling skills are essential to launching safely. After that, they will be able to fly under P3/H3 or higher Club member supervision.
  7. In the air, please be attentive to pilots on launch and keep clear when someone is set up and ready to take off.
  8. To practice in the LZ you must be a member of both USHPA and the Club, with waivers signed. To leave the ground on the training hills you must have a P1 rating or be under instructor supervision.
  9. No motorized flying.*
  10. No acrobatics or stunt maneuvers in flight.*
  11. No flying when winds exceed 26 MPH.*
  12. No flying alone.*
  13. Camping is permitted in designated areas around the LZ. Please ask. Camping is permitted in N.Y. Taconic State Park only at Rudd Pond and Copake Falls.
  14. Dogs are permitted if they are controlled. If there is a chance that your dog will chase pilots who are landing (or who are launching, if you hike your dog to launch) please keep your dog on a leash. Dogs are distracting and have caused crashes.
  15. Please know that you are financially liable for any damage that you, your guests, your children, or your pets cause to the Club, landowner property, or the N.Y. Taconic State Park.
  16. Rides to launch: On busy days, the Club may run a shuttle for a modest fee. Otherwise:
    Backside trailhead: Please organize rides to the backside trailhead to minimize the number of vehicles parked there.
    Front side trailheads: Please do not use a front side trailhead until you have been briefed by a Club member as there are some landowner issues. Please, do not leave a car, ever, at the north front side trailhead. If you leave your car at the south front side trailhead, it’s important not to land there. Land in the LZ and catch a ride to your car.
    Note that the front side trails are steeper and longer than the backside, covering about 1500 vertical feet.
  17. Always pack out your trash

Thanks for reading our rules. We wish you high flights and soft landings!

* These rules are in the N.Y. Taconic State Park Permit.