United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association

What United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association does

The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) is a California-based 501(c)(3) non-profit mutual benefit corporation, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It serves as America's only nationally recognized free-flight governing body for hang gliding, paragliding, and speed flying, with FAA regulatory recognition and representation through the FAI and NAA. USHPA runs the Pilot Proficiency Program (H0–H5, P0–P5, S1–S4), instructor and tandem certifications with three-year renewal cycles, ACE event accreditation, and a chapter management program spanning over 50 local chapters across all 50 states.

Its product surface includes the quarterly USHPA Pilot Magazine, bundled third-party liability insurance through Recreation Risk Retention Group (RRRG), ExpertVoice gear discounts for mid-rated pilots, and IPPI international equivalency on membership cards. Underlying technology consists of a self-service online member portal for join, renewal, ratings, and certification payments, plus an instructor and school search directory; no public API or software platform is offered. The organization operates with 1–10 employees and is governed by a Board of Directors, with Charles Allen serving as President.

USHPA's revenue model is built on annual membership dues ($199/year for the Pilot tier, $425/year for the Rogallo instructor tier), per-event ACE accreditation fees ($110–$165/day plus per-participant surcharges above 50 persons), and transactional certification and appointment fees. Customer segments span recreational free-flight pilots (primary), certified instructors, competition pilots, and local chapters. GTM is community-led: acquisition flows through the chapter network, PASA-certified schools, certified instructor referrals, the event calendar, and digital channels including the website, monthly newsletter, and quarterly magazine.

Name

United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association

Legal name

United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, Inc.

Website

https://ushpa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1974 that serves as the FAA-recognized governing body for hang gliding, paragliding, and speed flying in the United States, providing pilot ratings, instructor certifications, liability insurance, event accreditation, and advocacy to individual pilots and over 50 local chapters across all 50 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Aviation Sports Governance

NAICS

Flight Training (611512)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAKAFAC

National Governing Bodies (NGBs)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Rights Holders & Governing Bodies (Federations, Associations, Sanctioning Bodies)

SECONDARYMPAKAFAF

Amateur & Grassroots Sport Associations (Community/Youth Governing Orgs)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Rights Holders & Governing Bodies (Federations, Associations, Sanctioning Bodies)

Keywords

• Hang gliding association
• Paragliding certification
• Pilot proficiency ratings
• Free flight governing body
• Aviation liability insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide core revenue. Pilot level membership is $199/year and Rogallo level membership is $425/year with prorated upgrades at $18.83/month.
2. ACE Event Accreditation: Fees for Accredited Competitions and Events (ACE) accreditation - $110-$165 daily event fees plus per-participant fees for events over 50 persons. Additional fees for increased insurance limits.
3. Certification and Appointment Fees: Fees for instructor certifications, tandem certifications, towing skills, and renewals processed through online payment portal.
4. Third-Party Liability Insurance: Members receive third-party liability insurance through Recreation RRG. Insurance is included with membership, with additional international coverage options for rated pilots H3/P3 and above.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

USHPA is a non-profit governing body that sells annual memberships ($199 Pilot, $425 Rogallo) granting pilots access to a multi-level Pilot Proficiency Program (H0-H5, P0-P5, S1-S4 ratings), instructor certification pathways, ACE event accreditation, and third-party liability insurance through Recreation RRG. The organization also produces a quarterly Pilot Magazine and provides ExpertVoice gear discounts for rated members.

Product overview

USHPA offers a unified membership and certification platform for free flight sports encompassing hang gliding, paragliding, and speed flying. The core offering is the Pilot Proficiency Program—a multi-level rating system (H0-H5, P0-P5, S1-S4) for pilot skill progression—supported by instructor certification, ACE event accreditation, and chapter organization services. Members receive third-party liability insurance through Recreation RRG, quarterly Pilot Magazine publication, and ExpertVoice gear discounts. The platform is primarily membership-driven rather than software-as-a-service, with no public API.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pilot Proficiency Program (USHPA Ratings) A structured rating system for hang gliding, paragliding, and speed flying pilots enabling skill progression from student level through master level across multiple disciplines and special skills.
• USHPA Pilot Magazine Quarterly member publication covering free-flight sports, safety, competitions, and community news, delivered in both electronic and print formats.
• Third-Party Liability Insurance (through Recreation RRG) Bundled third-party liability insurance for members provided through Recreation Risk Retention Group, with additional international coverage for pilots rated H3/P3 and above.
• ACE Event Accreditation Accreditation service for sanctioned free-flight events including competitions, fly-ins, training events, and public demonstrations, with daily and per-participant fees plus optional increased insurance limits for landowners.
• Instructor Certification Program Certification pathway for Basic and Advanced instructors in hang gliding, paragliding, and speed flying, plus Tandem Instructor certifications, renewable every three years.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Recreation Risk Retention Group (RRRG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party liability insurance provider for USHPA members and chapters. Members rated H3/P3 and above also have access to international coverage options. Insurance is provided through the membership and covers chapter activities and landowners.
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSHPA is recognized by the FAA as the regulating body for free flight activities in the US. The FAA oversees all aviation activities and allows USHPA to regulate free flight as long as it does so responsibly.
• Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational air sports federation for competition sanctioning and international recognition.
• National Aeronautic Association (NAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for advocacy and industry representation alongside FAA and FAI.
• Professional Air Sports Association (PASA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASA certifies flight schools and works with USHPA-certified instructors who meet additional safety requirements and hold supplementary insurance. PASA schools are listed separately on USHPA's instructor search.
• ExpertVoiceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMembers rated H2/P2/S2 and above receive access to ExpertVoice which provides discounts for industry partner brands on gear.
• Foundation for Free FlightmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit foundation for free flight. Members can opt to allow the Foundation for Free Flight to contact them about their programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Academy of Model Aeronautics: AMA is a US national association for model aviation that manages pilot/operator ratings, member insurance, and chapter-based community. It is comparable to USHPA as a membership-based aviation governing body providing safety programming and liability coverage to hobbyist pilots.
• United States Parachute Association: The USPA is the FAA-recognized national governing body for skydiving in the US, with an analogous structure of membership dues, instructor certifications, ratings, and bundled third-party liability insurance. It is the closest structural and operational analogue to USHPA across the parachute/skydiving discipline.
• Soaring Society of America: SSA is the US national governing body for soaring (sailplane/glider) aviation. It mirrors USHPA's model of pilot ratings, instructor certification, chapter network, and advocacy with the FAA and FAI, making it a directly comparable aero-sport membership organization.

Regional players

• British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association: BHPA is the UK national governing body for hang gliding and paragliding, operating the same rating system, instructor certification, and member insurance model as USHPA. It is the international counterpart, highly comparable in mission and product structure though geographically distinct.

Broad incumbents

• National Aeronautic Association: NAA is the US national aero club and US representative to FAI, partnering with USHPA on advocacy and international representation. It is comparable as a broader aviation membership and advocacy organization with overlapping stakeholder relationships.
• Fédération Aéronautique Internationale: FAI is the international air sports federation that USHPA partners with for competition sanctioning and IPPI card issuance. It is a broader umbrella body overseeing multiple air sports including free flight, gliding, and ballooning, comparable as a higher-tier governing organization.

Emerging players

• Professional Air Sports Association: PASA certifies flight schools and works with USHPA-certified instructors who meet additional safety requirements. It is a closely adjacent organization in the paragliding instruction ecosystem, with partial functional overlap in instructor and school certification.

Others

• Hang Gliding Manufacturers Association: HGMA is the industry trade association for hang glider manufacturers and is organizationally housed within USHPA. It is comparable as an adjacent industry body serving the same free-flight ecosystem but representing manufacturers rather than pilots.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ushpa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association