Advanced Certifications
Find (or become) an instructor, observer, examiner, or administrator.
Looking to get your next ratings or to become a rating official yourself?
Here's an overview of who does what
Certification and Appointments
Flight Ratings (0-4) and Special Skills must now be issued through the portal under Ratings.
Instructor Certifications/Renewals, Tandem ratings and Towing ratings are not yet available in the portal and may be submitted with payment.
Please do not email these forms to the office as payment must be submitted with the form.
Instructors
Instructors evaluate pilots to grant new ratings and special skills.
Find an
Instructor/School - If you're looking for your next
rating or skill sign-off, find an instructor here.
Become an Instructor
- Consider becoming an instructor to help bring new pilots into the sport!
Observers/Examiners
Observers, who are appointed by examiners, can sign off ratings and skills
in place of an instructor. They also giving tow ratings.
Find an
Observer or Examiner - Observers can sign off certain
ratings and skills when there are no instructors nearby. There are also
Tow Observers who can sign off towing skills. The three types of Tow
Observers are Surface Tow (ST), Platform Launch (PL), and Aerotow (AT).
Read more about the USHPA
towing program.
Become an Observer -
If there are no instructors in your area, become an observer to assist
with the tests and observed tasks required for pilots to earn new ratings
and skills.
Become an
Examiner - Examiners appoint observers. Contact a USHPA
director to become an examiner.
Administrators
The USHPA ratings and proficiency programs rely on responsible pilots
stepping up to administer the various programs.
Find an
Administrator - Interested in teaching others to fly?
Contact an administrator to become a Basic, Advanced, or Tandem
Instructor. Basic and Advanced Instructor candidates should contact an
Instructor Administrator; Tandem Instructor candidates should contact a
Tandem Administrator.
Become
an Administrator - Contact the appropriate USHPA
committee chair to become an administrator. Instructor candidates
should contact the Safety & Training Committee, while Tandem
Administrator candidates should contact the Tandem Committee.