What you get for your annual membership fee:
- New members and Student Pilots get their first year's membership (or part thereof) for free! - up to March 31. Just sign the membership form and waivers and pay for your insurance online.
- The IHPA is a democratic association of pilots, run by pilots (volunteers) working together for the good of the sport and to protect the interests of pilots in Ireland.
- Members have a direct say in how the Association is run.
- Members can directly influence how issues affecting all pilots are dealt with – and raise issues to be dealt with.
- Members can directly influence how Association funds are spent – and suggest projects.
- Members benefit from member-to-member liability protection (members can not sue other members.)
- Recognition and Representation at a national and international level.
- Membership of the National Aero Club of Ireland (NACI) - see the Organisation & Afilliations page.
- Free access to accurate, up to the minute weather data from the IHPA weather station on Mt. Leinster.
- Free Coaching and First Aid courses.
- Members can avail of the services of the IHPA's network of Coaches for free.
- More members mean we have a louder voice where it counts (NACI / FAI / ISC / IAA / state bodies / landowners)
- Affiliation (through NACI) to FAI/CIVL – see the Organisation & Afilliations page for the benefits of this.
- FAI/CIVL internationally recognised and accepted Pilot Ratings scheme (Safe Pro & Para Pro) – Non-affiliated schools can not issue ratings and those pilots cannot get IPPI cards.
- FAI / CIVL IPPI cards - for when you want to fly abroad.
- FAI / CIVL Sporting License - for when you want to fly in FAI/CIVL sanctioned international competitions.
- A detailed on-line sites guide - maps / descriptions hazards / photos / pilot's comments.
- Liaison & relations with landowners - this is exceptionally important!
- Christmas Whiskey Run - the IHPA delivers a bottle of whiskey to each of the landowners whose lands we use to fly form or land on.
- Access to gated sites – (Para Pro 3 / Safe Pro 3 and above) - Mt. Leinster - The Galty Mts. - The Comeragh Mts. - Maulin Mt. - Bray Head - Keeper Hill - Devil's Bit.
- Liason with Air Traffic Control - allows IHPA members to fly sites inside controlled air space by agreement.
- Liason with Irish Aviation Authority on regulatory matters and updating airspace maps to include HG/PG flying sites - directly and through GASCI.
- IHPA negotiates bulk insurance deal with insurance companies - and is constantly searching for better cover and better prices.
- An excellent website (though we say so ourselves!)
- A list of all the members of the association around the country and their contact details so that you can find and fly with pilots near you.
- Two open mailing lists to keep pilots informed and to help them fly together.
- The IHPA assists members in competing in free flying competitions outside Ireland, including the World Championships and Pre-Worlds.
- Contact point and liaison for foreign pilots / NGBs.
- Competitions / XC league / Celtic Cup / foreign comps & opens.
- Text alerts for competitions.
- A clear conscience that issues affecting you, your flying and landowners are being taken care of on your behalf.
- You are supporting the sport in Ireland and not taking advantage (as some do) of the work of the IHPA.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but not being a member is taking advantage of the privileges that members of the IHPA have worked hard over the years to gain for all pilots in Ireland, so please do your small part - become a member and help make things better for everyone!
Here are just a few of the ways we put your fees to work for you:
- Assisting members to compete in international competitions.
- Membership of the National Aero Club of Ireland (about €500 per year.)
- Membership of the European Hang Gliding & Paragliding Union (about €80 per year.)
- Website hosting by Internet Service Provider (about €250 per year.)
- Christmas Whiskey for landowners (about €400 per year.)
- Safe Pro and Para Pro Student's Training Record & Log Books - free to schools (about €25 per year.)
- Postage and Stationary (about €200 per year.)
- Other minor expenses incurred in the day to day running of the Association.
- The balance is banked so that the Association has some funds available for special or one-off projects like improving access to a flying site, the International Competitions Bursary or the HG Bursary Scheme.
Officer's travel expenses, to and from the monthly committee meetings, are not paid for by your membership fee - that comes out of their own pockets, as does their time and efforts on your behalf.