All things hang gliding. This is the main forum. New users, introduce yourself.

Moderators: sg, mods

#406457
4 in WA state, and only one of them is actively teaching.

With the last revision USHPA did, I dont know how anyone can become in instructor. :cry:

I had everything done but the last test and missed the deadline. (I was so f---ing pissed!!!!!!!!!!!) :x

*** 40 hrs apprenticeship (between at least two instructors) on top of all the other requirements!!!
(That wont / cant happen in my state. There aren't even two actively instructing!!!!!!!)

Another nail in the coffin for hang gliding.....


C. Basic Instructor Certification
1. For initial Basic Instructor Certification, a candidate must:
a. Meet all requirements for Instructors stated in 12-13.02-A "General Requirements for ALL Instructors Being Certified or Re-Certified."
b. Complete an Instructor Training Seminar (ITS) with an Instructor Administrator.
c. Successfully complete an Instructor Evaluation.
d. Submit a copy of the first aid training certificate.
e. Submit a copy of the candidate’s syllabus or curriculum​
Attachments
Screen Shot 08-14-18 at 08.46 AM.JPG
Screen Shot 08-14-18 at 08.46 AM.JPG (148.03 KiB) Viewed 865 times
#406459
Before I had it completed, the new ushpa requirements went into effect requiring 40 hours apprenticeship between two instructors.
There aren't two actively teaching in my state and, they're on the other side of the state.
#406462
sg wrote: Sun Feb 10, 2019 6:39 pm Damn... hard to imagine the logic of putting up MORE entry barriers like this in a sport that is struggling this much already.

:surrender:
It's been that way since the 1990s. It started when the big commercial interests dominating the USHGA BOD tried to eliminate their competition with regulations impossible to fulfill outside of major hang gliding schools. I tried to instruct and was prevented by the requirement to take an ICP - all administered by the commercial schools who, not wanting any competition, failed to schedule any ICPs for over two years that I waited. Then paragliding entered the equation and, flush with new membership dollars, the USHPA forgot about hang gliding. "Everything's okay - we have 10,000 members," right?

And y'all are giving money to the Ass. that neglected your sport to death... :crazy:
User avatar
By Wonder Boy
#406464
After I believe Nov 1st 2018
(My last email was beginning of Aug with the admin)

The latest updated SOP is Oct 2018 and the new requirements are listed.

Basic Instructor Certification
1. For initial Basic Instructor Certification, a candidate must:
a. Meet all requirements for Instructors stated in 12-13.02-A "General Requirements
for ALL Instructors Being Certified or Re-Certified."
b. Complete an Instructor Training Seminar (ITS) with an Instructor Administrator.
i. The candidate must complete 40 hours of apprenticeship with one or
more USHPA Certified Basic or Advanced Instructor(s) other than the
Instructor Administrator.
The Instructor(s) satisfied with the candidate’s
performance shall sign the USHPA Apprentice Checklist endorsing the
candidate and attesting to the number of hours of apprenticeship. The
candidate shall submit the signed checklist to the Instructor
Administrator.
c. Successfully complete an Instructor Evaluation.
d. Submit a copy of the first aid training certificate.
e. Submit a copy of the candidate’s syllabus or curriculum.


USHPA sent out the proposal asking for feedback, I would like to know how many responses they got and what they were


Member Feedback on USHPA Policy Changes
Comment Period: August 3-31
If you have any ideas, concerns, or questions about proposed policy changes at USHPA--now is the time to make your voice heard!

The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) govern USHPA's and members' operations, and may be updated to reflect and implement new USHPA policies. Proposed SOP changes are posted on the USHPA website before each board meeting to give all members the chance to provide feedback.

The proposed SOP changes include defining the apprenticeship requirement for becoming a Basic Instructor, modifying the actions allowed under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and requiring that Surface Tow Observers hold a Tech 2 certification, among others.

Please read and comment on the the full changes here. The USHPA committees (made up of elected Regional Directors and USHPA member volunteers) rely on your feedback to adjust the proposed SOPs before presenting them to the full board for approval at the Fall 2018 Board of Directors meeting.
User avatar
By DMarley
#406467
Any person with half a brain would think that our illustrious, supposedly-HG-supporting organization would do everything they could to make instructing easier..... just as they had promised within this past year. How do these new requirements and hurdles encourage instructorship and the fostering of new HG pilots?
And now with the good possibility of the bod becoming super-compact and likely devoid of HG influence, .... :crazy:
Is Matt part of this conspiracy? I hope not for this would be just as bad as shooting himself in both knees, as well as the rest of HG.
#406468
What had been the apprenticeship requirement prior to the rules change? It's been over 30 years, but I recall having to apprentice with a couple of different instructors back in the mid-80's - folks from the Berkeley HG Club and the late great Dan Murphy (though I don't recall a specific 40 hour requirement). Back then of course you couldn't turn around in the SF Bay Area without bumping into a HG instructor so this was no great hardship.

By the time I went to my last ICP as an Advanced Instructor about 15 years later down in Elsinore they were getting uncommon enough that it was a day's drive away for me and there were some attendees who'd had to come in from out of state. I think some of them were planning to stay on for another week or two to get their apprenticeship done on the same trip.

I agree that the new rules seem onerous, but I'm just wondering how onerous they already were before the latest change.
User avatar
By flybop
#406472
I mentioned this before in another thread recently. I called my RD, live in Montana, about a local concern. When I identified myself as a hang glider pilot, before I mentioned why I was calling, my RD told me that hang gliding will be dead in this country in five years. He was all about bringing speed wings into USHPA though.

So, that is region 5's RD's thoughts on hang gliding and growing hang gliding. That's what we are up against here...
#406473
once&future wrote: Mon Feb 11, 2019 10:24 am What had been the apprenticeship requirement prior to the rules change? It's been over 30 years, but I recall having to apprentice with a couple of different instructors back in the mid-80's - folks from the Berkeley HG Club and the late great Dan Murphy (though I don't recall a specific 40 hour requirement). Back then of course you couldn't turn around in the SF Bay Area without bumping into a HG instructor so this was no great hardship.

By the time I went to my last ICP as an Advanced Instructor about 15 years later down in Elsinore they were getting uncommon enough that it was a day's drive away for me and there were some attendees who'd had to come in from out of state. I think some of them were planning to stay on for another week or two to get their apprenticeship done on the same trip.

I agree that the new rules seem onerous, but I'm just wondering how onerous they already were before the latest change.
Prior requirements :

C. Basic Instructor Certification
1. For initial Basic Instructor Certification, a candidate must:
a. Meet all requirements for Instructors stated in 12-13.02-A "General Requirements for ALL Instructors Being Certified or Re-Certified."
b. Complete an Instructor Training Seminar (ITS) with an Instructor Administrator.
c. Successfully complete an Instructor Evaluation.
d. Submit a copy of the first aid training certificate.
e. Submit a copy of the candidate’s syllabus or curriculum​
#406474
Wonder Boy wrote: Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:54 pm Prior requirements :

C. Basic Instructor Certification
1. For initial Basic Instructor Certification, a candidate must:
a. Meet all requirements for Instructors stated in 12-13.02-A "General Requirements for ALL Instructors Being Certified or Re-Certified."
b. Complete an Instructor Training Seminar (ITS) with an Instructor Administrator.
c. Successfully complete an Instructor Evaluation.
d. Submit a copy of the first aid training certificate.
e. Submit a copy of the candidate’s syllabus or curriculum​


So USHPA had done away with the apprenticeship requirement somewhere along the line, or is it buried in there somewhere I'm not seeing?
#406475
once&future wrote: Mon Feb 11, 2019 4:02 pm
Wonder Boy wrote: Mon Feb 11, 2019 1:54 pm Prior requirements :

C. Basic Instructor Certification
1. For initial Basic Instructor Certification, a candidate must:
a. Meet all requirements for Instructors stated in 12-13.02-A "General Requirements for ALL Instructors Being Certified or Re-Certified."
b. Complete an Instructor Training Seminar (ITS) with an Instructor Administrator.
c. Successfully complete an Instructor Evaluation.
d. Submit a copy of the first aid training certificate.
e. Submit a copy of the candidate’s syllabus or curriculum​


So USHPA had done away with the apprenticeship requirement somewhere along the line, or is it buried in there somewhere I'm not seeing?
Must have done away with it. Wasn't required prior to Oct 2018.

As I said, I only had the final instructor exam left to complete before this went into effect.
I couldn't pull the time together before it went into effect to make the 7 hr drive to take it.
By AlC
#406476
Actually the requirement was always there, but hadn't been defined as to how many hours were required.

The "two instructors" can count the Admin giving you the test as 1, meaning you need 1 other. That may not help a lot if both the nearest instructors are on the other side of the state.

- Alan
User avatar
By Wonder Boy
#406477
AlC wrote: Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:47 pm Actually the requirement was always there, but hadn't been defined as to how many hours were required.

The "two instructors" can count the Admin giving you the test as 1, meaning you need 1 other. That may not help a lot if both the nearest instructors are on the other side of the state.

- Alan
Unfortunately that wasn't the case previously (perhaps it was in the past)

This was the requirement:

Phase Two: Instructor Apprenticeship (IA) The purpose of this phase is to allow the instructor candidate the opportunity to practice and gain experience in applying the principles which were learned in the ITS. This is accomplished by teaching to one or more actual students all lessons from the Apprenticeship Checklist. It is recommended that this be done under the supervision of two unaffiliated Instructors, however one Instructor is acceptable.



Edit: This sounds like what you were saying
#406485
I suggest contacting USHPA and explaining your predicament., talk to Martin if possible to see if an accommodation can be made. USHPA is not a huge, inflexible, or faceless, it's just your fellow pilots that volunteer their time to give back to the sport(s) we all love. There is recognition that instructors can be far between in some areas of the country. No guarantees but it's worth a short telephone call or email if you would like to pursue it.

The Intent of the SOP revision was to prevent an instructor from signing off all of his friends as instructors if they are not qualified. As some have pointed out, the language was not new but a revision of an existing requirement.

Dan Lukaszewicz
USHPA Region 9