Mark G. Forbes, USHPA Finance/Insurance/Risk Management Committee
Chairman and Treasurer, writes:

Here are the proposed dues that would be effective starting
January 1, 2016:

Pilot membership: $150

Rogallo membership: $350

30-day membership: $8

USHPA has experienced increased insurance premiums in recent years (200% in the
last 5 years). Even more disturbing, in the last few months hang gliding and
paragliding schools have been notified by the underwriters that they will not be
able to renew their individual school policies. For many reasons we anticipate
that at our upcoming renewal (March 2016) we will be facing, at best, major
premium increases, and, at worst, an inability to renew our policy.

In response, we've started the process of forming a self-insurance entity called
a Risk Retention Group.

We need to tighten standards for site management plans, take a harder look at
instructional practices, and enforce a zero-tolerance policy for violations of
the rules, particularly with respect to tandem instructional flights. If we are
able to improve our overall level of risk management and reduce accidents (and
claims), the RRG could become financially strong enough to provide benefits back
to the members.