United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association facts for kids

The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) is a special group that helps people who love to fly without an engine. It's a non-profit organization, which means it uses all its money to support its goals, not to make a profit for owners. USHPA helps people enjoy foot-launched soaring flights in the United States. This means flying in sports like hang gliding and paragliding, where you launch yourself into the air using your feet, not a runway.

What is USHPA?

USHPA is like a big club for people who fly hang gliders and paragliders. These are sports where pilots use special wings to glide through the air. Unlike airplanes, hang gliders and paragliders don't have engines. Pilots launch from hills or mountains and use air currents to stay up. USHPA makes sure these sports are fun and safe for everyone.

A Look Back: How USHPA Started

USHPA has been around for a long time, helping pilots fly safely. It started small and grew into the national organization it is today.

From Local to National

The story of USHPA began in 1971. Back then, it was called the Southern California Hang Gliding Association. It was a local group for people who enjoyed hang gliding in Southern California. But the sport quickly became popular across the country. By the mid-1970s, the group grew to include pilots from all over the United States. It became a national organization, helping hang gliders everywhere.

Adding Paragliding

Later, another exciting sport called paragliding became popular in the U.S. Paragliding uses a parachute-like wing, but it's designed for gliding, not just falling. Because so many people started paragliding, a new group called the American Paragliding Association was formed. Eventually, this paragliding group joined with the U.S. Hang Gliding Association. In 2006, the organization changed its name to include "Paragliding." This showed that it now supported both hang gliding and paragliding pilots.

What Does USHPA Do?

USHPA does many important things to support foot-launched soaring sports. It helps set rules, organizes competitions, and teaches pilots how to fly safely.

Supporting Air Sports

USHPA is the official group in the United States for motorless (no engine) hang gliding and paragliding. It works with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). The FAI is a worldwide group that keeps track of air sports and records. USHPA makes sure that competitions in the U.S. follow international rules. It also helps recognize new records set by American pilots.

Learning to Fly Safely

One of USHPA's most important jobs is to help pilots learn and improve their skills. They have a special program called a "pilot proficiency program." This program helps foot-launched soaring pilots and their instructors learn how to fly safely and skillfully. It teaches them important techniques and safety rules. You can find all the details about this program on the USHPA website. This helps make sure that everyone flying a hang glider or paraglider knows what they are doing and stays safe in the air.