USHPA Member Handbook

To All New and Renewing Members:

On behalf of the entire USHPA and our office staff, thank you for your support of our national organization. The USHPA is made up solely of people like yourself who have created this organization, centralizing our efforts to promote the sports of hang gliding and paragliding. All of the programs of the USHPA are designed to increase our resource base or to directly help us realize our objectives.

Upon receipt of your approved Membership Application form, fully paid annual membership dues and original signed copy of the most recent USHPA Release, Waiver and Assumption of Risk Agreement, your membership with the USHPA will begin and your subscription to Hang Gliding & Paragliding magazine will start with the next issue. All other membership benefits begin at the same time and conclude with the expiration date on your membership card.

Sincerely,
Lisa Tate
USHPA President

Table of Contents

• History of USHPA
• Introduction
• USHPA Headquarters
• Membership/Subscription Fees
• Membership Benefits
• Change of Address
• Magazine Mailing
• Voluntary Contributions
• USHPA Chapters
• Regions
• Awards
• National and World Hang Gliding Records
• U.S. World Teams
• Pilot Proficiency Program
• Tandem Exemption #4721
• Towing Exemption #4144
• Portable and Vehicular Radio Authorizations

Association History

The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association began as the 3-member Peninsula Hang Glider Club in December of 1971, under the leadership of Dick Eipper. It soon attracted members from neighboring areas and early in 1972 became the Southern California Hang Glider Association. A monthly publication, Ground Skimmer, was started in May of 1972 as a newsletter for its members. It soon grew to be a comprehensive magazine, recording the history of the hang gliding movement as it happened, plus news of man-powered aircraft. By the end of 1973, the organization had become truly national in scope, so the members voted to change the name to the United States Hang Gliding Association. It has since become a California corporation, and in November of 1976, the name of the magazine was changed to Hang Gliding, which is published monthly. More recently in 2002, Hang Gliding and Paragliding magazines were combined and the resulting magazine was named Hang Gliding & Paragliding Magazine.

In 1988, the Association recognized a need to relocate the Association's headquarters office. A nation-wide search for a new home explored 20 cities. The selection was narrowed down to beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado, where the Headquarters moved to in the spring of 1989. The office has moved three times within Colorado Springs and now occupies a building, owned by the Association, on the west side of the Springs.

In 2006, the issue was raised concerning the incorporation of paragliding as part of the name of the association and, after much thoughtful debate from both pro and ante, the membership voted to change the name again, this time, to the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association and adopting the acronym, USHPA as its moniker.

Introduction

The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc. (USHPA) is a national organization. The primary purposes of the Association are to engage in the development, study and use of hang gliders & paragliders and the sport of hang gliding & paragliding; to make available and disseminate knowledge about hang gliders & paragliders and hang gliding & paragliding; to promote the organization of meets and competition for the flying of hang gliders & paragliders; to select pilots for national and international competition; to promote the training and rating of students interested in learning the art of hang gliding & paragliding; and to promote safety and safe flying practices. The USHPA sanctions, supervises and documents official hang gliding/paragliding competitions and record attempts in the U.S. The USHPA is also the sole authority in the U.S. to administer the hang gliding section of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) Sporting Code under the general supervision of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) and in accordance with the policies of the FAI.

The Association is governed by a Board of 20 Regional Directors, elected by the members, and five Directors-at-Large, elected by the Regional Directors, which meet at least once a year to act on items and represent members in the region in which the Director resides. USHPA members are welcome to attend Board of Director meetings. Notice of dates and locations are published in the Calendar of Events section the Hang Gliding & Paragliding Magazine. Any member wishing to submit ideas, suggestions or criticisms should do so through their Regional Director or the Chairman of the USHPA committee to which the material relates.

The promotion of safety is a major concern of the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc. USHPA officials strongly recommend that all persons interested in learning to fly, train with a Certified Instructor. Numerous schools, dealers and clubs offer classes through certified instruction. (The USHPA monitors a program for recertifying instructors. The program ensures that instructors keep current with new rules and regulations concerning safety, equipment & flying sites.) There are publications and manuals that will introduce you to the technical aspects of flying that can be obtained through USHPA Headquarters.

The Association offers the Pilot Proficiency Program (Part 104) to help pilots develop flying skills along proven lines of progression, and covers all expected levels of flying. This comprehensive set of ratings will serve to measure qualifications for pilots to fly various sites and enter competitions. The Part 104 is available from the USHPA Headquarters, or see our website: www.ushpa.aero.

USHPA offers Safe Pilot Awards and Lilienthal Awards along with Cross Country Flight Badges as flight achievements.

USHPA sanctions a number of large competitive meets each year, including the yearly U.S. National Championships. Dates and locations are published in the Calendar of Events section of Hang Gliding & Paragliding Magazine.

USHPA Headquarters

USHPA Headquarters are located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Headquarters' office is managed by the Executive Director, and employs a staff of full and part time personnel. The departments servicing its members are: Insurance, Advertising, Bookkeeping, Ratings, IP's, Membership & Chapter Services, and Merchandise.

Hang Gliding & Paragliding Magazine is published monthly. The Colorado Springs office and the Editor are jointly responsible for advertising content, material publication and magazine content accuracy.

Membership Types and Benefits

As a Full or Family Member of USHPA, you have benefit privileges as described in the Association's bylaws. Some of those privileges are a built-in subscription to Hang Gliding & Paragliding Magazine, voting in annual Regional Director elections and referenda Association votes, access to insurance programs such as third-party pilot liability and property damage insurance coverage (insurance does not cover foreign members if residing outside the U.S.A. and Canada, or when flying in Mexico) and instructor professional liability , ratings, awards, national and world hang gliding/paragliding record claims. Additionally, you have access to special programs such as a USHPA VISA Gold Card and membership in the NAA.