Event Safety Management and Hosting Guidelines

This document is available as a single long HTML document if you prefer.

Competition Rule Book Competition Organizer Agreement
(pdf version here)
Event Forms Tasks
Types of Competitions Task Formats
Sanctioning of Meets Start Formats
Preliminary Planning Scoring
Event Officials Finish Formats
Time Planner Total time to Goal (TTG Scoring)

PROLOGUE

This guidebook and associated forms are provided to assist organizers of Competitions Fly-Ins and other events.
Contact: HPAC Competition Chair

Competitions and Fly-Ins have had a major impact on our sport: as proven method to improve pilot skills; promoting some of our most important safety standards and to provide a learning environment for our pilots who strive to achieve personal milestones.

Without competitions, many of the performance or safety standards we take for granted would never have been implemented - including the use of helmets, parachutes, minimum pilot qualifications (our ratings system) and preflight checks (not to mention enormous increases in glider performance).

The HPAC formed the Competition Committee in 1977, to be responsible for the rules and regulations of HPAC sanctioned meets. The HPAC established three subcommittees:

  1. to ensure fair implementation of HPAC rules, policies of competition and National team selection,
  2. a scoring System sub-committee and;
  3. the Worlds sub-Committee.

The World Championship Committee has full authority to make all decisions regarding the operation and organization of World meets, subject to the guidelines set by the HPAC. It will include at least two currently elected members (directors) of the HPAC. One of these two shall be the President of the HPAC or his delegate.

If you have modifications, improvements or ideas to contribute to this package, please submit them to the HPAC so this process can continue to evolve for everyone's benefit.

Certification Requirements:

All Hang Gliders and Paragliders competing in National or Provincial Competition must be certified.

Gliders not certified must provide the HPAC with documentation of the completion of equivalent standards for approval. The HPAC Certification committee will notify the HPAC within 30 days of receiving documentation of its decision. The approval by three members of the committee will constitute committee approval. The HPAC will then immediately notify the manufacturer. Documentation and the related committee decision will remain on file for reference by HPAC members. Deleted by 1994-11 AGM motion)

  1. For a “Prototype” glider to fly in a sanctioned Meet, the owner should meet the following criteria:
  2. be a member of the HPAC,
  3. the glider must be flown by a factory test pilot and
  4. no more than three gliders of that design are to have been built.
  5. They must also provide load testing, pitch testing and structural documentation to a certification committee member (a copy of this information must be filed with the HPAC by that Certification Committee Member).

Transport Canada Regulations:

The HPAC passed a resolution at the 1994-11 AGM in support of Canadian Aviation Regulations as they apply to Hang Glider and Paraglider Pilots entering events.
  • All pilots entering an HPAC Sanctioned Event must present proof to the organizers of their HAGAR license and must comply with all requirements of the act.
  • Each pilot’s glider must be equipped with a functioning magnetic compass and altimeter and the pilot shall be familiar with the proper use of both instruments.
  • The flight shall be intended as a cross-country flight
  • The glider shall be operated in day VFR weather conditions only
  • Each pilot is individually responsible to advise the nearest FSS of the time of departure and planned duration of the flight in Class “E” airspace.
  • The Meet Director may prearrange to advise FSS of a “group” departure and planned duration of the flight in Class “E” airspace provided a list of competitors names and HAGAR license numbers is submitted to Transport Canada FSS.
  • A VFR flight plan must be filed for International flights.
  • The organizers shall specify in the local regulations, or at briefing, controlled airspace or other areas where flight by competing gliders is prohibited or restricted. Such areas shall be precisely marked on published maps.