British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association

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Information for prospective pilots


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The British Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association oversees pilot and instructor training standards, provides technical support, such as airworthiness standards, runs coaching courses for pilots, and supports a country-wide network of recreational clubs and registered schools, providing the infrastructure within which UK hang gliding and paragliding thrive.

Initial hang gliding or paragliding training must be undertaken at a BHPA registered school. Most schools offer training in a wide range of flying disciplines, so it‘s important to understand the differences between the disciplines before choosing a school. The Learn to Fly section of this web site explains the relative merits of each discipline, the types of flying involved, and provides an insight into the training methods used.

As you near the end of your initial training, it‘s important to start looking for suitable recreational club to join. The BHPA supports a network of UK recreational clubs who are able to offer the supportive flying and social environment vital to the safe development of your flying skills as you leave the school enviroment to join other recreational flyers on the hill.

The BHPA also publishes Skywings, a glossy full colour monthly magazine. Skywings is the only magazine dedicated to free flying in the United Kingdom, and is distributed by mail to around 7,000 BHPA members as part of their membership package, and by subscription to countless more pilots and organisations around the world. Back issues of Skywings can also be purchased through our on-line shop.

Skywings Only Magazine Subscriptions are available from the BHPA Shop. Our on-line shop also sells back issues of Skywings, with Three back issues costing only £4.50 including postage and packing, an absolute bargain.

As well as providing automatic third party insurance for its members the BHPA is also affiliated with the specialist insurance brokers Airsports Insurance Bureau Ltd who offers flying and non-flying cover to members and non-members alike.

We hope that when you've found a school appropriate to your needs, made contact and begun training, you‘ll discover for yourself the excitement and challenge that makes free flying such a great pastime. If you do, you‘ll also find that the level of support and camaraderie amongst pilots is one of the many great strengths of the sport. You‘ll make friends, go places and achieve things that you may have only dreamed about in the past.

It‘s a fantastic sport... join us and never look back.