[Bob Kuczewski]

Self certification is the back bone of the FAA’s safety culture.
   :
There are FAA log book record requirements under various parts of the regulations for proof of currency requirements. These log book entries are recorded through the honor, truth, and integrity of the pilot, self certification.

Super point, Mike!!!

I think Joe's USHGRS is also a super idea. While we have a rating system here at the US Hawks, it's not well appreciated by the "Hawks Haters". Joe's system is just about ratings and offers no political views which can be used to try to discredit it.

I am 100% behind the USHGRS, and I'm honored to be listed as a USHGRS H4. Thanks Joe!!   

[Rick Masters]

While it is clear that in the skills progression from H0 to H4, each step is superior to the previous, I am confused as to the superiority of H5 over H4.
With some personal flights of 11 hours and distances over 170 miles, I am very satisfied with my hang gliding accomplishments.
I do not see the slightest reason for recreational hang gliding ratings beyond H4.
Is H5 a tandem rating? That is not recreational hang gliding under FAR 103.
It requires an exemption under FAR 103.
I have never seen a need for tandem instruction.
It simply is not necessary.
In my opinion, its use has mostly been for profiteering, which is illegal under FAR 103 and threatens the sport of recreational hang gliding.
Is H5 a towing rating?
Towing is kiting. As a purist, I refuse to do kiting.
I footlaunch off hills and mountains. Learning to read wind and meteorological conditions at takeoff is a vital and intimate part of footlaunch recreational hang gliding.
Towing requires a second aircraft. A second pilot. An engine. An arguably unsafe release device. This is not hang gliding.
It should not be used to train hang glider pilots, as some recent unpallatable towing fatalities will attest.
Towing presents additional dangers from the tow line and the threat of lock-out. Many, many pilots have been killed by lock-outs.
There are no lockouts in footlaunch recreational hang gliding.
When towing is used, recreational hang gliding does not begin until the moment of a successful release from tow.
I argue that towing is not at all recreational hang gliding, but nothing but a separate, more risky method of getting to takeoff altitude than by driving there.
It seems to me that a towing endorsement should be an H4 endorsement, if necessary.
Does H5 indicate that a recreational hang glider pilot is a certified USHPA/RRRG instructor?
That has nothing to do with USHGRS. I am in hopes that hang gliding will experience a resurgence under the tutelage of informal peer instruction.
Just what, exactly, does H5 mean in terms of recreational hang gliding?
Does it imply a proficiency or superiority beyond my H4 hang gliding skills? I think not.
Also, I have never seen a managed site that restricts H4s but allows H5s to fly.
Therefore I request that H5 not be included.
For the purposes of USHGRS, H4 and H5 should be combined and listed only as H4, which will be the top USHGRS rating.

[magentabluesky]

Just what, exactly, does H5 mean in terms of recreational hang gliding?
Does it imply a proficiency or superiority beyond my H4 hang gliding skills?

The H5 rating is more of an acknowledgement of achievement and experience.

The H5 rating is based on scoring points in six of nine categories: air time, number of flights, altitude gains, cross country, number of different sites flown, number of different gliders flown, competition, tandem, and towing plus three letters of recommendation from USHPA Observers, Examiners, or Advance Instructors. The pilot must possess the Bronze Safe Pilot Award or above which is 100 consecutive safe flights.

A pilot could achieve an H5 without ever flying tandem or towing.

Rick, I know some of your flying was like mine. There was no one around for launch or landing to even document the flight. Not a soul. Yes, we should have received extra points for pulling that off safely. Even so, if I added up all my hang gliding, I probably would not qualify for the H5. Rick, with all your Owens Valley flying documented, you probably would be an H5, but documenting that may have taken the passion out of the flying. Just one day at Dockweiler could be 200 flights and 200 points plus you would qualify for the Bronze Safe Pilot Award. "Dockweiler Bob" has probably qualified for the 5th Diamond Safe Pilot Award at Dockweiler, 5,000 consecutive safe flights.

It is probably easier to document your flights today with track logs than in the past for the H5.

While I do not know of any hang gliding sites that require a higher rating than an H4, the H5 is an acknowledgement of the achievement and experience of the H5 Pilot.

I say, Cheers to those that document their flights and have an H5.

[JoeF]

USHGRS H5 has been dropped from USHGRS certification efforts.
Other rating systems might want to keep that deal being constructed.
Non-professional, non-commercially-bent, non-fee-collecting rating systems may choose to drop attention on H5. Maybe professional organization will continue H5 constructions; let them certify the H5.

Recreational hang gliding may live just fine with Student, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced: HO, H1, H2, H3, H4.
Those five steps suffice
for fun, joy, challenge, exploration, and ever learning.
Let other rating systems wrestle with something further for their purposes, say celebratory awards, special-focus point collecting to add up to some award. All good, but beyond the USHGRS mission for advancing the base of recreational hang gliding. USHawks could have their H5 just fine, if wanted, surely.

Michael,
It aches me deeply that I see no time budget to handle real new certification of H5 via USHGRS. A strong note at their H4 that will lead to knowledge of their earned H5 and their endeavors. I side with you in your notice to me, but a deep decision on years left for me is at hand. Each H5 found will obtain extra attention at the H4 lines that will let the seekers of USHGRS pages know the H5 pilots well; a full link to all their web mentions will probably be the high acknowledgement available.
The recreational hang gliding realm in associations may well face special awards and acknowledgments for all kinds of fun things. USHPA may certify their H5 as they do; and they will get the fees and work involved on such. Other orgs and associaitons my have other names for special awards and accomplishments. USHGRS has not a direct work function for award giving. It will suffice to actually have certification processing (time and work for communications, etc.) for H0, H1, H2, H3, H4.

I hope any upset will be mended by the link focus that will be served up for those who have had H4 (and USHGRS certifies H4) and then added H5.
Limits,
Lift,
Joe

[JoeF]

Compromise: To see current page: http://www.ushgrs.org/H4.html and notice Mike Jefferson's line how a linked H5* may work. Notice the headnote "*"
Dated Aug 27, 2017. Note that the file will grow. Also pilot link sets will grow.
[ ] We seek some best link to place behind the "and H5*" note on a pilot line.

USHGRS.org H0 H1 H2 H3 H4
United States Hang Gliding Rating System
independent of
clubs, corporations, associations, schools, instructors, businesses
to fulfill self-regulation per FAR 103
for recreational hang gliding in the U.S

H4 rating is held by:
* Notice: USHGRS does not certify the valid H5 which is certified by an external association.

Lyle Anderson H4
Keith Beebe H4
Bill Cummings H4
Ben Dunn H4 AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR XC
Jim Fenison H4
Darin Hecker H4
Rodger Hoyt H4 and see H5*
Thomas Howard H4 AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR XC
"Red", aka Tom Howard HGpilot
Michael Jefferson H4 and see H5*
Mark Kassal H4
Robert Kuczewski H4 AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR
David Palmer H4 and see H5* AWCL FSL RLF TUR XC
Harry Martin H4
Rick Masters H4
Dave Schy H4 AWCL CL FSL RLF TUR XC
Phil Sergent H4 and see H5*
Gary Trudeau H4
Scott Wise H4 and see H5*

[Rick Masters]

Joe, thank you. I like that better for several reasons.
Primarily, a USHGRS rating is used for the purpose of presenting skills for allowing take off from a managed site.
As I suspect you recognize, there is no practical purpose for a higher rating than H4.
Secondly, it keeps things simple and precise. An advanced pilot should be capable of launching safely from any place he chooses.
We trust the advanced pilot. H4 is a full trust rating.
Mike points out that an H5 is an acknowledgement of achievement and experience.
But hang gliding is a dangerous sport.
If I eat it, dial 911 and refer inquiries, if there are any, to your state's recreational sports liability law.
The H4 rating meets the FAR 103 requirement for self regulation without any other over-riding authority.
That is the purpose of USHGRS.
I like that.
I expect many USHPA H4s will obtain USHGRS H4 ratings as the USHPA inevitably disentigrates into whatever confusing and rudderless potpourri of financially lucrative aviation madness it chooses.
-- Rick Masters
_____________

I am a free man.
No one in this world is as free as I am - except other hang glider pilots.
When my foot leaves the ground, I am not just entirely on my own - I become a different creature.
It is me, a newborn and magical creature moving in three dimensions and playing chess with God.
Do not ask me to describe it.
You either know it or you don't.

As an American patriot, I do not and cannot support an organization that exhibits unconstitutional behavior by banning members from hang gliding for exercising their obligatory duties of citizenship.
The people behind this are a disgrace. Hang gliding is a right under law.
It is time to form a national hang gliding organization that knows what it is doing.
There is none and you need one.
You really need one.

[Rick Masters]

I've been told that I might have earned an H5 already.
I was never interested at all.
All I wanted was a rating that would let me fly from any site.
If you want to see my bragging rights, they're in my log book where they belong.
In the early days, even the H4 rating was questioned.
"Intermediate pilots are pushing too hard to get advanced ratings and exceeding their skill level!" said those watching the carnage.
But it was good for the org.

Competitions give you an H5?
Competitions aren't recreational hang gliding.
They're actually organized and insured professional hang gliding.
Competitions were important back in the 1970s and 80s - particularly the cross country competitions that drove the evolution of double surface hang gliders.
I held some of them as Meet Director. Rick Rawlings flew 198 miles in one of my greuling open distance tasks in 1985.
The competitions of the following decades were not nearly as important, in my opinion.
I've only seen incremental changes, including topless - like Dick Boone did with his Dawn back in 1982. It's been disappointing.
True variable geometry never happened, so whatever drove hang gliding design, at least for flexwings, froze.

So what is competition today? What's it worth?
You can fly fast and keep up with others flying fast.
Good for you. But you're still flying pretty much the same wings as we flew in the early 1980s.
If you want organized comps, keep your USHPA H5.
You can't hold an organized, insured, group comp under state recreational law.
USHGRS ratings are for recreational hang gliding.
H5 is just chum for USHPA membership.
It means nothing in terms of being able to fly from a site.
It's the same as an H4.
USHGRS H4 is all about being trusted to fly from advanced sites.
H5 doesn't add anything and is therefore irrelevant.
Sorry Mike, but it just makes things more complicated than they need to be.
Pilots won't be coming to USHGRS for the bells and whistles.
They'll be coming for the minimum requirements necessary to fly anywhere.
For free. That's all.
That's all we recreational hang glider pilots need.

[DaveSchy]

When USHGA demoted Steven Holte (RIP) from H5 to H4 for strafing launch at Dog, it cemented my decision to never seek an H5, as it seemed more political that skill based.
Of course, now that U$HPA is on the scene featuring enhanced doublespeak (version MGF2.0), the site steward strafes the LZ in a Cessna and the Examiner does consecutive loops below 500" above a crowded LZ.
Safety first!
Nothing to see here, folks!

[JoeF]

Steven Duane Holte (RIP): H4 and H5* (posthumously revived)
===================================================

Thanks, Dave.
http://www.ushgrs.org/H4.html

Shown featuring his other passion aside of HG:

HG:
Steve Holte

SteveHolte.JPG (12.04 KiB) Viewed 7063 times

[JoeF]

Entries for Conduct Code are welcome.
conductcode@ushgrs.org

regarding building
http://www.ushgrs.org/conductcode.html