Luke writes:

USHPA should stop charging for the 30-day membership.

Paul says this is to cover the cost of the liability insurance for the student:

1. The student on a tandem flight is exposed to very little liability since the
instructor will likely be held accountable in a tandem accident.

2. The student is not required to have liability insurance for the flight to
legally operate under the USHPA exemption 4721 (neither is the instructor).

3. The student insurance could be offered as an option to students at the time
of signing the paperwork, but should not be required.

Of course the reason USHPA needs "everyone to participate" and to sell 30-day
memberships is that they generate a lot of income while being very low risk to
the pilot liability policy (since the instructor liability policy is the one at
risk during a tandem). It really comes down to money, Paul even says that
himself. And this has been a complaint from instructors for a long time.

It's not a matter of $6 per exemption. For an operation like Torrey Pines it
probably adds up to be tens of thousands of dollars per year. Those saying the
cost should just be passed onto the student, or the tandem cost should go up,
are ignoring basic economics.

The organization should give it's tandem rated pilots use of the tandem
exemption without fees or insurance premiums. Insurance is not required by the
FAA and shouldn't be required by USHPA, it should be the pilots decision and
responsibility.

Read more:
http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=34794&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=60