[Spitfire]

Confused as to why the secrecy.

[Skyhighwoman]

He did shoot himself in the foot by some of his action(s).

There was something on the OZ report about him pulling some girls off the street and giving them a tandem ride with no waivers or helmets.

Did the crime fit the punishment? It was harsh.

He did do the sport good but he likes to push the site rules. (jeopardize our sites.) Push some buttons with the parks.

Again I do not believe the punishment fit.

Everybody breaks some sort of rules at any given sites but just maybe it depends on how you handle things when confronted.

It is a shame that there's such BS with the clubs it makes it hard to want to be a part of it.






Carm

[Willmrx]

Pat Denevan is the reason. He does not want any competition.

Will

[SlopeSkimmer]

Thanks to all of you for the kind words and support.

I did break the rules and deserved to get punished. I have learned my lesson and I have been good ever since. I have not broken any USHPA rules in the last 8 months. I hope to get my Basic Instructor and Tandem 1 back at the end of this month.

Please wish me luck guys!

[noman3]

[NMERider]

[Wing Man]

Remember this thread!

Notice how many views it has, and how few have responded.

The"Powers That Be" are afraid of it and putting pressure again.

Remember this thread!

[peanuts]

[Flyingseb]

[addictedtoflight]

Yes, there are many who are reading this thread that do not know Mike and I wouldn't expect much comment from them. There are quite a few who do know him, who know enough about the circumstances and have not chimed in on the issue. The bottom line is: the punishment didn't fit the crime. Mike is a good instructor who has brought quite a few people into the sport. He is a VERY safe tandem pilot which anyone who has seen him fly can attest to. The regional directors and such have taken away his livelihood, he has done his penance and should be reinstated.

[blindrodie]

Wingman is this not enough?

[FPeel]

As Mike said, he did break the rules. But that was not his greatest transgression. The rules Mike broke have been broken before, some multiple times by the same persons, and the offenders did not receive nearly as severe a punishment.

Mike's greatest transgression? When confronted he did not grovel and beg for forgiveness from "the Powers That Be" as previous offenders had. That, in conjunction with being more successful than certain people could stand, was his mistake.

This opinion is based on long association with parties on both sides of the issue and numerous discussions of the subject with them. But it's just an opinion.

Also just my opinion, but Mike could be a positive force within our community if he and certain other members can come to terms. My personal hope is that things have not progressed past the point where mutual respect is still possible because respect is, IMO, a missing element in a lot of what transpired.

[Spitfire]

Can someone please tell me what rules he broke? This thread is now 2 pages long and I have no clue.

[peanuts]

and what's the story on the other transgressor

[Andrew Vanis]

I have not yet seen it in the mag but I would think the offence would be published as education(warning) to others. This is what they do when an attorney is reprimanded.

[Spitfire]

[Dan Harding]

iv been watching this thread waiting for the reason that mike j. lost his ratings and me and everyone else is still waiting, will someone plz just spill it??

[jjcote]

Carm did say something:

[SeeMarkFly]

[jose9878]

Mike was my instructor in 2005 when he worked for Pat Denovan. I thought both Mike and Pat were great instructors and they both spent much more time with me than they did with any of the other students. I enjoyed learning from both of them. I picked up the sport fast enough that Mike and Pat both believed I could move on to a Sport2 after my first few flights on a falcon. Pat sold me a Sport2 upon my 2nd lesson. I had many successful flights on the sport2 until I got away from my instructor (my instructor that day was not Mike or Pat but it was one of Pats instructors). The day i got away from my instructor I launched on a no wind day and had a bad landing which resulted in a broken humerus. This was not the fault of Pat, Mike or my instructor at the time (whom I will not mention). It was MY own fault. Sure my instructor at the time could have prevented me from launching but he was busy with the other students and because I had proved that I could launch, land and fly the sport2 he let me get away and I hurt myself launching from a 50' hill, at Hollister, of my own stupidity.

Later I was told that Mike was blamed for my injury and that it was considered upon his rating revocation. Mike had NOTHING to do with my injury, he was not my instructor at the time. Pat had NOTHING to do with my injury as he was not even there that day, I was the only one to blame for it. Some blame my instructor of the day but he really had no control over me as he was in control of 5-6 other students at the time and was told I could hold my own. Ask anyone who knows me and they will inform you that nobody is in control of me but myself. I blame ME for the injury and NOBODY else, not Pat, not Mike and not the assigned instructor of the day.

With that said, Mike was the BEST instructor Pat had at the time and I was told this by Pat himself. He was always there, always motivated and always made time for his students, even when his wife (girlfriend at the time) had other plans for him. Pat always praised Mike and I never heard anything bad about him at the time....simply put, he was the best instructor Pat had at the time. PAT TOLD ME THIS HIMSELF.

After my accident I learned that Mike left Mission Soaring Center and started teaching on his own. I witnessed Mike instruct many students, he was there every weekend and many weekdays as well. At this time I began to hear rumors about Pat trying to push Mike out of the sport because he was becoming competition. I did not believe these rumors because I knew they worked well together but the rumors continued. My understanding is that Pat has a school in the Bay Area and he is well connected with USHPA. The rumors circulating were that he was attempting to push Mike out because he left as one of his instructors and started his own journey in "Pats territory". Knowing both Mike and Pat I did not believe the rumors until I learned that one day Mike was being considered for rating revocation for some small infraction. Instead of being warned about his infractions he was all out put out to pasture. Pats connection with USHPA make it a simple connection to figure out why this happened.

It saddens me to see such a great instructor, who brings in so many new pilots to the sport and shows so much dedication lose his livelyhood because of competition and because he left a school as an instructor. I would hate to think that Pat and USHPA would do something like this to such a hard working individual who puts his entire life into the sport but it's also hard to ignore the fact that Pat has such influence on USHPA.

Mike does not deserve the punishment USHPA placed on him. It's time they re-instate his ratings and allow a GREAT instructor to get back to work.

Calling it as it is,
Jose Pruneda