This Part establishes the governance framework applicable to schools and training activity in hang gliding and paragliding, with specific reference to Declared Training Organisations (DTOs) approved in terms of Part 141 of the South African Civil Aviation Regulations.
Guidance
This Part applies to:
- schools offering hang gliding or paragliding training;
- instructors conducting training under SAHPA’s oversight; and
- students engaged in training activities at SAHPA-recognised sites.
This Part does not prescribe training syllabi, instructional methods, or administrative processes. Such matters are governed by applicable Civil Aviation Regulations and the SAHPA Manual of Procedures where relevant. This Part defines the minimum supervision and responsibility conditions applicable to instructional activities conducted under SAHPA recognition.
Regulatory Oversight of Schools
Declared Training Organisations operate under the sole statutory oversight of the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) in terms of Part 141.
SAHPA does not approve, accredit, certify, or regulate schools or DTOs as training organisations. Compliance with Part 141, including approval status, scope of operations, and conditions of approval, is a matter exclusively between the school and SACAA.
Nothing in this SAHPA Operations Manual shall be interpreted as substituting for, supplementing, or modifying SACAA’s regulatory authority over schools.
Instructors Operating Subject to SAHPA Governance and Disciplinary Authority
While schools fall under the sole regulatory oversight of the SACAA, individual instructors conducting hang gliding or paragliding training are subject to SAHPA’s governance, safety, and disciplinary authority in its capacity as a recognised Aviation Recreation Organisation under Part 149.
This reflects SAHPA’s responsibility for:
- instructor conduct and professional standards;
- safety culture, hazard reporting, and Just Culture principles; and
- governance and disciplinary processes applicable to instructors as members.
SAHPA Membership and Insurance Context
Student pilots engaged in training activities constitute aviation participants and must fall within SAHPA’s membership framework to ensure third party aviation liability insurance coverage.
Registration of students with SAHPA supports:
- insurance coverage while engaged in aviation activity;
- safety reporting and risk oversight; and
- alignment with SAHPA’s governance and disciplinary framework.
This requirement does not alter the regulatory status of the school or DTO under Part 141.
Accident Reporting and Safety Oversight
Accidents and serious incidents occurring during training activities have implications beyond regulatory compliance, including:
- site safety and continued access;
- hazard trend analysis and safety improvement;
- member safety communications; and
- insurance and reputational considerations.
Reporting by both the school and the affected student supports transparency, data integrity, and SAHPA’s safety management responsibilities under Part 149.
This reporting obligation is additional to, and does not replace, any statutory reporting requirements to SACAA or the Accident and Incident Investigation Division (AIID).
Site Governance and Local Rules
Training activities frequently occur at sites subject to site-specific rules, landowner agreements, environmental constraints, or local operating conditions.
Schools and instructors play a critical role in ensuring that training activity:
- complies with SAHPA site rules;
- does not compromise site access or landowner relationships; and
- aligns with environmental and public interest considerations.
Ground crew
Schools and event organisers may utilise ground crew, volunteers, or support personnel to assist with launch management, wing handling, student supervision, retrieval operations, or other site-based activities.
Ground crew are not aircrew and do not exercise pilot privileges. Their conduct nevertheless has the potential to affect flight safety, public safety, site access, and SAHPA’s reputation. Clear allocation of responsibility for such personnel is therefore essential.
SAHPA does not exercise operational control over ground crew employed or engaged by schools or event organisers, but may impose conditions on recognition where safety or public-interest considerations require it.
Tandem Flight Instruction
SAHPA recognises that, under current South African aviation regulations, tandem hang gliding and paragliding flights conducted for reward are typically undertaken within the regulatory framework of flight instruction by Declared Training Organisations approved under Part 141 of the Civil Aviation Regulations.
Such flights are commonly conducted as introductory or once-off instructional experiences in which a member of the public is treated as a student for the duration of the flight.
SAHPA notes that:
- there is currently no separate regulatory category expressly authorising commercial tandem flights for reward outside the context of instruction;
- the classification of a tandem flight as legitimate instruction is a matter for the SACAA and the approved training organisation concerned;
- SAHPA does not grant, infer, or expand authority to conduct tandem flights for reward.
For the purposes of this Operations Manual, tandem flights conducted under Part 141 as instruction are treated as Commercial Tandem Operations and are subject to distinct safety, governance, and insurance considerations.
Legal and Consumer Protection Context
SAHPA recognises that Declared Training Organisations operate as commercial service providers offering instruction and related services to members of the public. Such activities may give rise to obligations under legislation regulating consumer transactions, contractual fairness, advertising, refunds, and disclosure.
Recognition by SAHPA relates solely to aviation governance, safety coordination, and membership administration under Part 149 of the Civil Aviation Regulations, and does not constitute approval, endorsement, or certification of a DTO’s commercial practices.
Compliance with non-aviation legislation applicable to the provision of services to the public remains the responsibility of the DTO.
Behavioural Safety and Instructional Authority
Instruction occurs in environments characterised by skill asymmetry, psychological load, and elevated risk. Instructor behaviour directly influences student judgement, confidence, and long-term airmanship. Professional conduct is therefore an operational safety requirement, not a matter of personal style.
Supervision of Student Pilots
Students undergoing instruction are not yet exercising independent pilot privileges. During instructional activities, instructors retain responsibility for supervision, decision-making support, and intervention where safety margins are reduced. Unattended student flying undermines effective supervision, weakens safety culture, and creates ambiguity regarding responsibility in the event of an incident or accident.
Rules relating to Schools
13.1 Registration of Students
13.1.1 All schools and instructors conducting hang gliding or paragliding training shall ensure that every student pilot is registered as a SAHPA member for the duration of their training activities.
13.2 Insurance Coverage
13.2.1 No student shall undertake any flight training activity unless covered by SAHPA’s third party aviation liability insurance through valid membership.
13.3 Compliance with Site Rules
13.3.1 Schools, instructors, and students shall comply with all applicable SAHPA site rules, site-specific operating conditions, and landowner or authority requirements at any site used for training.
13.4 Instructor Auspices
13.4.1 All instructors conducting hang gliding or paragliding training shall operate subject to SAHPA’s governance, safety, and disciplinary framework.
13.4.2 Instructors shall remain individually responsible for the conduct of their training activities.
13.5 Compliance with Part 141
13.5.1 Schools operating as Declared Training Organisations shall comply with all applicable requirements of Part 141 of the South African Civil Aviation Regulations.
13.6 Accident Reporting to SAHPA
13.6.1 All accidents and serious incidents occurring during training activities shall be reported to SAHPA by:
- the school conducting the training; and
- the affected student.
13.7 No Implied Oversight of Schools
13.7.1 SAHPA recognition, membership, or affiliation shall not be construed as approval, certification, or oversight of a school or DTO, which remains subject solely to SACAA oversight.
13.8 Instructor Supervision
13.8.1 An instructor shall not permit a student pilot to conduct a flight unless the instructor, or a designated assistant instructor authorised by the school, is actively supervising the student’s flight.
13.8.2 A student pilot shall not be permitted to launch or fly while unattended by an instructor or authorised assistant instructor.
13.8.3 The instructor of record shall remain responsible for the supervision of student pilots at all times during instructional activities, including periods between launches, flight cycles, or multiple student operations.
13.8.4 Supervision of student pilots shall not be delegated to unqualified persons, other students, or pilots not authorised by the school for instructional supervision.
13.9 Restriction of Training Activities at Sites
13.9.1 SAHPA may restrict or suspend training activities at a site where non-compliance with this Part or with applicable site rules presents a safety, legal, environmental, or reputational risk.
13.10 Statutory Compliance
13.10.1 A Declared Training Organisation shall comply with all applicable legislation governing the provision of services to the public, including consumer protection legislation.
13.10.2 Recognition by SAHPA does not exempt a Declared Training Organisation from compliance with any statutory obligations applicable to its commercial activities.
13.10.3 SAHPA shall not be deemed a party to, nor assume any responsibility for, any contractual, financial, or consumer relationship between a Declared Training Organisation and any student or member of the public.
13.11 Professional Conduct of Instructors
13.11.1 An instructor shall conduct themselves in a manner consistent with professional airmanship at all times while acting in an instructional, supervisory, or evaluative capacity.
13.11.2 An instructor shall treat students, assistants, other instructors, officials, landowners, and members of the public with courtesy, respect, and emotional self-control.
13.11.3 An instructor shall not engage in intimidating, demeaning, coercive, or humiliating behaviour toward a student, whether verbal, physical, or implied.
13.11.4 An instructor shall maintain clear professional boundaries and shall not exploit their position of authority for personal, financial, emotional, or social advantage.
13.11.5 An instructor shall model conservative, lawful, and safety-oriented decision-making consistent with this Operations Manual and applicable procedures.
13.11.6 An instructor shall not retaliate against, penalise, or disadvantage a student or assistant for raising safety concerns, asking questions, or declining to proceed with a flight.
13.11.7 Conduct inconsistent with this section constitutes a safety and governance matter and may be subject to investigation, suspension, or disciplinary action.
13.11.8 Alleged breaches of this section shall be addressed in accordance with Part 17 (Safety Culture, Discipline and Corrective Action) and Part 18 (Discipline, Reporting, and Public Interest Protection)