It's the Google Ai, I thinkWeather you ask a valid question on the phone or of Google, you get cricketts, or;
1. Type in USHGA, and you get, USHPA Home.
2. Type in USHGA.AERO, and you get, USHPA Home.
3. Type in USHGA.AERO Gateway, and you get, Rick Masters Home Built Forum, and then 8 USHPA sites.
4. Type in
ricmas@ushga.aero, and you get, USHPA Home.
5. Type in, United States Hang Gliding Association, and you get, USHPA Home.
It seems like any time you inquire about USHGA, you get USHPA.
I called USHPA and asked some HG questions and got put on hold, and then cricketts.
USHPA has fully co-oped USHGA in word only.
"Pilots" will survive.
I believe pilots who learn fly any kind of "airframe", develop a lifetime skillset, because of the much harder and more dedicated instructors and their students. The training involved, to go through the ratings, to get to a "Masters License" in, ("Airframed") Aviation, is so much harder than "parachute" flying, (almost dare devil) and that's the catch, many take this easy and fast way out. Nothing to be done there.
An alternative would be to create a "Non-Profit", strictly for and of,
Hang Glider Instructor Pilots and their business ventures.
If this NP can fully support with money, the HG Instructor business, ( how many left?)
Hang Gliding will be much better for it.
The NP would also be the PR and marketing man for Hang Gliding, and USHGA, and with the funding, could out perform the "Paragliding" world, which is, "Hang Floating".
These "very brave souls", who run a Hang Gliding business deserve this Non-Profit, because by taking away the "business end" , the instructors could teach and "free" fly more.
Gotta be one tuff business to run,
and then there is the "liability" and insurance end of it, which can cost big buck$. by the month.
Organizations wanting money are wanton, so which ones do we choose?
Why not choose a new "Organization",
wanting money to support the
Hang Gliding Instructors and their business ventures.
why not??.
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Talk about, question about phone calls, I rant.