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Date of Issue: 24 February 2002
Purpose of this Policy and Regulatory Directive
- The purpose of this Policy and Regulatory Directive (PRD) is to
state the purpose, and describe the process to grant the Cliff Kakish
Award.
Purpose
- The Cliff Kakish Award is awarded on an annual basis to an outstanding
volunteer who has contributed to the sports of hang gliding and paragliding
during that year. The award is one of the premier mechanisms HPAC has
for recognizing volunteer contributions to our sports.
Eligibility
- All volunteers are eligible for the award. A volunteer need not
be a pilot or a member of the HPAC/ACVL to be considered and can have
made their contribution at the national, regional or local levels.
- The Cliff Kakish award can be awarded to the same individual more
than once.
Responsibility
- Any member of the HPAC/ACVL may nominate an individual for the
award. Nominations must be forwarded to the Business Manager.
- The winner shall be selected from the nominated individuals by
a vote of the Directors at the annual meeting of the BoD.
Recipients
- Kevin Caldwell
- Lars Taylor
- Blake Daley
- Guy Leblanc
About Cliff Kakish
- The Cliff Kakish award was created in 1988 in the memory of Cliff
Kakish, a Canadian hang gliding pioneer. Born in Foam Lake, Saskatchewan,
Cliff began flying hang gliders as a university student in the 70's. His
first glider was made of plastic.
- Cliff was involved in the Alberta Hang Gliding Association (AHGA)
and was involved with the formation of the HGAC, the precursor
association to the HPAC/ACVL. Over the years, he served as President
of both
the AHGA and the HGAC. More specifically, Cliff served the HGAC
in the
following capacities:
1977: Vice President;
1979 - 81: President;
1978 - 81: Insurance committee;
1980: Instructor standards committee;
1981 - 85: FAI/Record committee;
and
1977 - 1987: Legal adviser to the HGAC.
- Cliff also worked with Transport Canada on the original ultralight/hang
glider regulations.
- Cliff was a devoted and active competition pilot and he represented
Canada at the World Championship in 1981. He founded the Cochrane
Cup, a XC competition to promote XC flying which was the impetus
for multiple 100-miles flights in Alberta. He was the first Canadian
to
file for an official world record.
- Cliff became involved in the Olympic Movement for Calgary
’88 on the bobsleigh committee. He, along with Willi Muller,
started the Skeleton movement in Calgary.
- Cliff was the 6th recipient of the HPAC Master Rating. He also
received the Paul Tissandier Diploma, awarded by the FAI to those
who have served the cause of Aviation in general and sporting aviation
in particular, by their work, initiative and devotion.
- Cliff died following a seven-month coma after a hang gliding
accident at Cochrane in 1987. He was seen slowly spiralling down and
made no attempt to recover before hitting the ground. Since Cliff
was a very experienced hang glider pilot, and given that he made
no attempt to recover, it is speculated that he was medically incapacitated
before loosing control of his glider. He was 38 at the time.
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