Portmoak Pilot's Information and Airfield Manual

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====== Caravan Site Rules ======

Date: May 2022

====== - #1 General ======


The site is intended to provide, in touring type caravans and camper vans, overnight facilities to 
members and their friends and families, enabling them to use the gliding facilities on a regular basis.

====== - Eligibility ======

  - Caravan Site holders (licensees) must be an active, flying member of the Scottish Gliding Union.
  - For explicit reasons and in exceptional circumstances only, any other member at the 
  - discretion of the SGU Board of Directors.


====== - Definitions ======

Persons using the SGU Caravan Site do so as licensees and not as tenants, on the understanding that the 
SGU reserves the right to terminate such licences after giving one month's notice of their intention.

Prior permission to make any alterations to a site must be obtained from the Caravan Committee, who 
must approve the work done.

====== - Tenure ======

A member’s occupation of a site is by a non-exclusive license by the club to occupy it from the 1st
January to the 31st December.

Licences will only by granted to individuals not to organisations, groups or Clubs.

Caravans may be used by relatives and friends for the purpose of gliding at Portmoak provided such 
occupation does not exceed any single period of more than 30 days per annum.

====== - Retention Requirements =====

The licensee of a site must have been an active glider pilot during the preceding year and must have 
used the caravan regularly.

The minimum requirements are :-
  - Ten hours gliding or 20 launches from Portmoak.
  - Overnight occupation of the caravan by the licensee on at least 12 occasions per year.
  - All subject to waiver at the discretion of the SGU Board of Directors.


====== - Maintenance of Sites =======

Licensees are required to :-
  - Maintain their caravan in a sound condition, in a good state of repair and external decoration and the exterior shall be kept clean.
  - Keep the grass and borders within the area around their caravan in a tidy condition. The "area around each caravan" is defined as that area up to the boundary and to the half way point to the nearest caravan in any direction.
  - To minimise possible wind damage, secure their caravan to the satisfaction of the committee.
  - Have at least one properly maintained fire extinguisher fitted to their caravan. It is recommended that a proprietary fire blanket should be affixed adjacent to the caravan's cooking facilities.


A maximum of two gas cylinders is permitted per site and they are subject to the following rules. They 
must:

  - Be located so that they are immediately visible to a fire officer in the case of an emergency.
  - Be secured by a chain at the top to prevent them falling over.
  - Be located on a hard standing (this can be paving slabs) without vegetation.
  - Be kept well ventilated at all times.
  - Not touch the sides of the caravan.
  - Not be stored underneath the caravan.
  - Not be placed within 3m of any combustible material, other than the caravan which they serve.

Gas cylinders stored in caravans should be housed according to the design and manufacturer’s 
instructions.

Gas cylinders, whether empty or not, must be stored safely and not left lying around the site or airfield.

Any permanent site groundworks whether or not installed or paid for by members (including concreting, 
paving and drainage) become the club’s property as part of its land.

Caravans moved on to the site must comply with applicable legislation, the local authority regulations 
and the Caravan Site license and planning consents. Guidance can be obtained from club management.

====== - Payment and Permissions ======

A license fee is payable for the tenancy of a caravan site. The amount payable and the due date will be 
determined from time to time by the club board.

Any person whose membership lapses through non payment of Club subscriptions or site annual licence 
fee by 1st March will forfeit the site after due notice has been given.

Site licence fees are notified from time to time and are payable in advance on the date the site is 
accepted and thereafter on the 1st January each year.

Licensees are responsible for the payment of any rates or taxes which may be levied on their site or 
caravan.

The maximum physical acceptable caravan size is 7m x 2.55m. The length includes any integrated gas 
locker but excludes the towbar. Larger caravans will require permission from the club management and 
should not be placed on site until permission is granted.

It is the responsibility of the licensee to ensure that all portable wiring, gas pipe and appliances inside 
and outside of the caravan are safe.

The club shall meter each caravan’s electricity externally. Licensees will be billed at regular intervals at a 
rate determined by the club board.

Where a caravan is to be used for permanent residence (Defined as overnight occupation for 5 or more 
days per week for more than 6 consecutive weeks at a time) permission of the SGU Board must be 
obtained.

====== - Anticipated Absence from the SGU ======

Where a site licensee or member offered a site is unable for whatever reason to meet the retention 
requirements due to a period away from the SGU he/she may be required to relinquish the site 
temporarily.

Subject to maintenance of full SGU membership he/she will be offered a site upon return to the SGU or 
priority on the waiting list.

Notice of any anticipated period of long absence must be given in writing to the Caravan Committee at
the earliest opportunity.

====== - Sharing of Caravans ======

Where a caravan is shared, the person or persons sharing have no claims on the site. When the site 
licensee relinquishes the site it will be offered to the next person on the waiting list. A person sharing 
may however place his/her name on the waiting list.

====== - Waiting List ======

Allocation of caravan site pitches will be done using a points based system with points allocated based 
on position on the list and road miles to the club. Pitches cannot be transferred in any other way, for 
example by an owner selling their caravan.

The club manager will maintain a waiting list detailing member’s names, position on list and the road 
distance from their main residence to the club. This distance will be determined using the fastest route 
reported by Google Maps. One point will be awarded for every mile of road distance up to a maximum 
of 50 points. Position points are based on a person’s position on the list. The first person on the list, who 
has been there longest, will be awarded 50 points, the second on the list 30 points, the third 10 points 
and everyone else 0 points.

When a pitch becomes available the club manager will calculate the sum of the position points and 
distance points for everyone on the list and the pitch will be offered to the person with the greatest
number of points. In the event of a tie the pitch will be offered to the person who is higher on the list. 
Offers will be made by email.

A member will have 21 days from the date of any offer to confirm or refuse the offer. If no reply is 
forthcoming by the end of this period then the offer will be deemed to have been refused and it will be 
offered to the person with the next highest number of points. A person who refuses an offer will 
maintain their position in the list.

====== - Visiting Caravans ======

Caravans not based at Portmoak may be placed on a temporary site, if available, on payment of such 
daily or weekly fees as are published from time to time. Users of this facility must become SGU 
members.

Such visits must be pre booked and visitors must report to the SGU office on arrival or the next day if 
arriving in the evening. A receipt will be given for the charge and this must be prominently displayed in a 
window of the caravan. If no vacant site is available, visiting caravans shall be parked on the airfield 
alongside the southern boundary fence of the caravan site.

====== - Licence Disqualification ======

A licensee whom the Caravan Committee considers has infringed any site rule will be given a written 
warning. If within one month, the licensee fails to take action on the warning, then that licensee will be 
required to vacate the site. The committee reserves the right to remove the caravan of defaulting 
licensees and will do so at the licensee’s risk.

====== - Removal of Caravans ======

Any caravan which is abandoned or left on the caravan site or any part of the airfield without permission 
or without payment of the appropriate fee may be removed by the club. Before such action is taken the 
club will send a written warning letter to the last known address of the owner, allowing a period of 28 
days for a reply. Alternatively if the identity or address of the owner is unknown that letter will be 
affixed to the caravan for a period of 3 months.

When surrendering a caravan site position or upgrading a caravan, members are responsible for the
removal of their old caravan from Portmoak Airfield. 

All costs incurred by the Scottish Gliding Union in the disposal of unwanted or abandoned caravans will 
be charged to the member’s account. An additional charge of £100 will be made to cover the cost of 
arranging disposal.

====== - Storage of Caravans ======

Caravans may be stored on the airfield, subject to approval by the Caravan Committee and the Board of 
the SGU. Owners shall be liable for storage charges, as published in the Scottish Gliding Centre tariff, 
and may not be used for residential purposes while in storage.

====== - The Caravan Committee ======

The Caravan Committee shall be responsible to the Board of Directors of the Scottish Gliding Union for 
the general management of the Portmoak Caravan Site. The Committee shall consist of up to six persons 
who shall be elected annually by the site licensees (one vote per site) at a General meeting to be held 
for that purpose. Such meeting should be held within six weeks of the SGU Annual General Meeting. At 
least 21 days clear notice of such meeting shall be given in writing to all site licensees. Nominations for 
the Committee should be in the hands of the existing Committee not less than 7 days prior to the date 
of the meeting. The general rules and conduct of this meeting shall be in accordance with the 
established practice of the Scottish Gliding Union.

The Caravan Site Committee has responsibility for the following:
  - Ensuring these rules are followed.
  - Organising the grass cutting of the communal areas.
  - Resolving disputes between members.
  - Ensure the maintenance and accessibility of communal firefighting equipment.
  - Any other matters relating to the caravan site that may arise from time to time.

In the absence of a Caravan Committee due to lack of volunteers to fulfil the roles the Board of Directors 
of the Scottish Gliding Union shall assume its roles and responsibilities.
Portmoak Pilot's Information and Airfield Manual

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