PASA (the Professional Air Sports Association) is a non-profit (501(c)(6)) organization, founded in 1997 and charged with setting standards for the operation of flight schools and certifying kiteboarding, hang gliding, and paragliding flight schools (in both solo and tandem instruction) that operate in compliance with those standards. PASA’s board is made up predominantly of hang gliding and paragliding industry leaders as well as industry leaders from Kiteboarding.
PASA established standards, best practices, and standard operating procedures for kiteboarding instruction during the infancy of the sport and continues to provide certification of Kiteboarding schools and instructors. The certification program provided by PASA has allowed kiteboarding schools to get and maintain insurance.
The United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) has now formed a Risk Retention Group (Recreation Risk Retention Group or RRRG for short) to ensure affordable, stable insurance to the sports of hang gliding and paragliding. For a hang gliding or paragliding flight school to qualify for insurance issued by RRRG, the flight school must become certified by PASA and maintain that certification. This certification by an independent not-for-profit standards entity makes the certification credible with RRRG, the regulators governing RRRG, and the insurance marketplace from whom RRRG negotiates reinsurance.
PASA does not sell insurance. What we do is certify schools so that they have access to insurance.
PASA certifications are for schools only. If you are a lone instructor looking for PASA membership benefits you will need to form a school – a legal entity which you are operating under – and apply as a school.
This is what you need to do to apply for PASA certification:
Download and read the following:
All applications must be submitted online. See the link in the sidebar >> to access the application process. Do NOT mail any applications to PASA.
Be sure to read through the online application to see all the items that are required. A few additional questions regarding insurance needs are added so that the RRRG can prepare for your needs.
Application Fee for ALL Schools applying for PASA certification: $300 (non-refundable)
PASA will review your application, ask for any missing documents or information and upon completion of satisfactory review, will approve your certification.
PASA
PO Box 1839
Nags Head, NC 27959
