Do pilots need to be licensed to fly hang gliders?
The governing body for Hang Gliding is the UNITED STATES HANG GLIDING ASSOCIATION. (USHGA) This is the organization that keeps our sport from becoming directly regulated by the F.A.A., making Hang Gliding the most accessible form of recreational flight available. A USHGA membership provides you with liability insurance, a monthly issue of Hang Gliding magazine and the eligibility to become a rated pilot.
Not really, but a program analogous to FAA licensing exists and is administered by the USHGA (U.S. Hang Gliding Association). This program consists of a specific set of flying skills corresponding to a series of pilot proficiency ratings (Beginner through Master) each of which carries a set of recommended operating limitations. Beginner rated pilots, for instance, should only fly from hills under 100 ft in height in mild winds and under the guidance of an instructor. While these ratings don’t carry the force of law in quite the same way as FAA pilot’s licenses do, the majority of flying sites in the US require that pilots hold some specific USHGA rating to be allowed to fly.
Not really, but a program analogous to FAA licensing exists and is administered by the USHPA (U.S. Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association). This program consists of a specific set of flying skills corresponding to a series of pilot proficiency ratings (Beginner through Master) each of which carries a set of recommended operating limitations. Beginner rated pilots, for instance, should only fly from hills under 100 ft in height in mild winds and under the guidance of an instructor. While these ratings don’t carry the force of law in quite the same way as FAA pilot’s licenses do, the majority of flying sites in the US require that pilots hold some specific USHPA rating to be allowed to fly.
