From F-14s to paragliders: School eyes EPCAL runway for training

A paragliding school is seeking a runway use agreement with Riverhead Town to use one of the EPCAL runways for paragliding training.

The L.I. Paragliding School currently operates out of Rocky Point, representatives of the organization told the town board at Thursday’s work session.

Miguel Afanador, Philipe Renaudin and Rudi Lemp appeared before the board to pitch their plan, which was well-received by board members. There is a question about whether the school needs to be a tenant at the enterprise park in order to qualify for a runway use agreement. Town attorney Robert Kozakiewicz said he believed that was a policy adopted by resolution of a prior town board, rather than a town code provision. He said he would look into that question and let the board know his findings.

The proposal would have to be presented to the state DEC, Supervisor Sean Walter said. State regulations adopted in 2010 require many activities to be approved by the state if they might result in the unintended killing, injuring or harassing of a protected species. Since there are protected wildlife species at the site of the former Grumman aircraft manufacturing facility, state environmental regulators will scrutinize all proposed projects there, Walter said.

“We are an environmentally friendly activity,” Afandor said.

To gain lift, paragliders, attached to a kite-like sail, are pulled behind a truck affixed with a special winch. Once aloft, they detach from the line and sail into the wild, blue yonder. Paragliders can stay aloft from 20 minutes to three hours, Afandor said. The truck would drive along the runway — one of two at the site. It is currently not in use. They would use the site from May through October.

“We want to train people how to paraglide on Long Island,” Afandor said. He said the group has to abide by rules set by the FAA and the U.S. Hang-Gliding and Paragliding Association.

The board asked the group to meet with the town attorney to discuss whether the town can enter a license agreement for the runway absent an underlying lease of an office or other space at the site. That requirement was put in place a decade ago to prevent runway use by transient aircraft traffic, in response to residents’ concerns that the former aircraft manufacturing site would be turned into a commercial airport.

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