You have got your CP - congratulations! We hope that this is the start of a long, safe and enjoyable time as a pilot.
This section of the website is aimed at new pilots who have recently attained their Club Pilot rating from a BHPA school, or are just about to. It may also be a useful resource for BHPA members who have gained a rating through the alternative entry scheme, and for non-current pilots who need motivation or reassurance to get out flying again.
The Club Pilot (CP) is the first rating on the BHPA's Pilot Rating System. Getting your CP does not mean that you are sufficiently "qualified" and can stop learning, but you can choose to continue your education as a pilot within the club environment instead of through instruction at your flying school. So, if you are interested in improving your skills and continuing to learn, please read on!
New CP? So what do you do now?
The first flights for a newly qualified pilot without the watchful eye of their instructor can be daunting, even if they have flown on that site before. It can be especially daunting for new pilots who have gained their CP outside the UK and are venturing onto UK flying sites for the first time. BHPA schools encourage new CPs to fly with a BHPA recreational club after completing their instructor-led training. Some schools will have already introduced their CP trainees to a local club and they may even have flown the club's sites during their training. As well as negotiating and looking after flying sites, clubs provide the supportive flying and social environment that is so important for newly qualified pilots. Many clubs offer assistance to pilots via club coaching. BHPA licensed Coaches are volunteers who help pilots in developing their flying skills and progressing safely through the BHPA Pilot Rating Scheme.
To find your local BHPA flying club, please visit the clubs page on this website.
Club Pilots are strongly encouraged to progress through the BHPA Rating Scheme to Pilot rating and beyond. The holder of a Pilot rating is seen as being fully qualified in that discipline and for that launch method. For hang gliders and paragliders (including powered types) this means being capable of planning and executing cross country flights (XC). For guidance on who can fly cross country, please see this article in the February Issue of Skywings.
For information about the BHPA Pilot Rating Scheme (PRS), please visit the Pilot Rating Scheme page on this website.
How do you progress as a new CP?
Once you have joined a club, you may choose to spend your first few hours' flying with no specific aim other than to safely accumulate airtime. However, it is well known that pilots make more efficient progress when they are given tasks to undertake.
The Pilot Foundation Syllabus provides a structured way to progress for the first ten hours of your flying as a CP, when you would be flying with a red streamer. It is not an additional rating, however many of the exercises can be logged as progression towards Pilot rating. It aims to:
How does the Foundation Syllabus fit into the BHPA's Pilot Rating Scheme?
As a new CP rating holder, how will it work for me?
You will already have completed training phases to get you to CP level. The Pilot Foundation Syllabus is contained in a booklet and laid out in phases and exercises that follow on from those in the CP STRB. They can be completed in any order, although it is expected that pilots undertake Exercise 11 (Introduction to club flying) before the others!
The Foundation Booklet's layout is similar to the Student Training Record Books that new CPs will be familiar with. Its use is entirely optional; however, it will provide a great starting point for your development as a pilot. The Foundation Booklet will be issued by BHPA Office with pilot packs for new paragliding and hang gliding CP (Hill) pilots. It can also be downloaded by clicking on the thumbnails below.
Ultimately, it is up to you how much you immerse yourself in the learning process to become a more competent pilot, but you can facilitate this by seeking the help of a coach or instructor. There are a number of exercises that specifically encourage you to spend time with a coach or attend a club-run session, that can be signed off by your coach. These are:
Background to the Foundation Booklet: the Pilot Development Structure (PDS)
In 2016, a new pathway to learning, the "Pilot Development Structure" (PDS) was launched by a panel of experienced BHPA coaches, running in tandem with the Pilot Rating System.
The web-based PDS was conceived by David Thomson, who at the time was Chief Coach of Lanarkshire and Lothian Soaring Club. It was an ambitious project, which aimed to capture every element of BHPA activities for pilot progression, and to encourage interaction between pilots and coaches. It was taken offline as it required full time administration and management. The BHPA wishes to thank all the club coaches who contributed to the PDS.
The old "PDS Foundation Layer" Booklet was compiled by FSC with assistance from coaches, and for a number of years was sent out to every pilot upon obtaining their Paragliding Hill CP. It was used in many BHPA hill clubs and requests were made to refresh and reinstate it.
Any feedback, or offers of assistance at writing Foundation Booklets for other disciplines and environments, can be sent to: office@bhpa.co.uk.
Last updated: 26 February 2025
