United States Hang Gliding Association

The United States Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association sets our standards in teaching hang gliding. Most flying sites require a USHPA rating. You can achieve these ratings with our flight school.

USHPA Hang Gliding I

Camps & Clinics Info

Beginner Rating

Required Witnessed Tasks: This rating allows the hang gliding pilot to fly solo at Hang I rated sites, such as Jockey’s Ridge State Park. You are also allowed to buy hang gliding equipment. Must perform the following tasks:

• Set up and preflight glider and harness.
• Demonstrate proper ground handling.
• Proper demonstration of hang check.
• Understand proper breakdown, packing, transportation, and storage of glider.
• Demonstrate proper landing procedures: Setting glider down, unhooking, checking traffic, removing glider from area and any specific protocol at site.
• Understand effects of wind direction and velocity, terrain and obstructions.
• Launch unassisted showing: Aggressive run, good angle of attack, pitch and directional control with smooth transition to flying.
• Two flights predetermined to show: Constant air speed, smooth straight flights. Safe smooth landings, on feet into wind.
• Two flights predetermined to show: Slight variation in airspeed (remain well above stall).
• Safe smooth landings, on feet into wind.
• Understand USHPA statements and definitions of Good Judgment and Maturity.
• Must pass USHPA Beginner written exam.
• Become a member of USHPA.

USHPA Aero-Tow Hang Gliding I

Beginner Rating

Required Witness Tasks: This rating shows that the hang gliding pilot has a working understanding of towing hang gliders behind ultralights. This does not let the pilots fly solo. Must perform the following tasks:

• Must demonstrate system set up and pre-flight, including a complete discussion of all those factors which are particular to the specific tow system used and those factors which are relevant to towing in general.
• Demonstrates successful, confident, controlled launches and flight under tow to release at altitude, with a smooth transition to flying, with proper directional and pitch control resulting in proper tracking of tow line and appropriate maintenance of proper tow line tension and airspeed. Such demonstrations may be made in ideal wind conditions.
• Has discussed all Towing Discussion Topics with the issuing Tow Official.
• Must agree to all the provisions of the USHPA standard waiver and assumption of risk agreement for the Beginner rating and deliver an original signed copy to the USHPA office.
• Become a member of USHPA.

USHPA Aero-Tow Hang Gliding II

Novice Rating

Required Witnessed Tasks: This rating allows the hang gliding pilot to fly solo at altitude. Must perform the following tasks:

• Minimum of 8 hours of ground school
• Set up and preflight glider, harness, and parachute. Including a complete discussion of all those factors which are particular to the specific tow system used and those factors which are relevant to towing in general.
• Proper demonstration of hang check.
• Give reliability analysis of general conditions of site and self.
• Flight plan to include: flight path, areas and obstacles to avoid in relation to wind flow.
• Demonstrates successful, confident, controlled launches and flight under tow to release at altitude, with smooth transition to flying with proper directional and pitch control resulting in proper tracking of the tow line and appropriate maintenance of proper tow line tension and airspeed. Such demonstrations must be made in less than ideal wind conditions, where there is some crosswind component, some level of thermal turbulence, and some degree of wind gradient.
• Demonstrate smooth variation in airspeed, from above minimum sink to fast flight, while maintaining a heading.
• Demonstration of flights along a planned path alternating “S” turns of at least 90 degrees.
• Turns must be smooth with controlled airspeed, ending in safe stand up landings.
• Demonstration of 3 consecutive landings within 100′ of a target (landing on feet into wind). Target must be sufficiently close to launch such that turns are required.
• Must pass USHPA Novice written exam.
• Become a member of USHPA.