BHPA Club Coach and Senior Coach: help new pilots progress

• What it is: Volunteer coaches who help club pilots progress through the Pilot Rating Scheme.
• What you need first: BHPA Annual Flying Membership, CP with 10 hours (hill) or 50 flights (tow) logged since CP, and your club's backing.
• What you'll learn: Safe ways to guide Club Pilots.
• How long it takes: The Club Coach course runs over a weekend (two days). The BHPA's current list runs to March 2027.
• Cost: £35 a person, or £25 for a retake (BHPA, 2026). There's no charge to register as a Club Coach.
• What's next: Coaching track: Senior Coach. Teaching track: Instructor, which needs the Pilot rating. Pilot track: Advanced Pilot, which needs a Club Coach course.

Love your club and want to give back? Club coaches help newly qualified pilots build skills and progress safely. Club Coach and Senior Coach licences aren't tied to one discipline.

What a Club Coach does

• Gives information, guidance and help, in a safe and proven way, to Club Pilots.
• Supports the Senior Coaches by sharing coaching duties.
• Promotes incident reporting in the club and keeps improving their own flying and coaching.

Club Coach prerequisites

• Be a BHPA Annual Flying Member.
• Hold a CP rating with 10 hours (hill) or 50 flights (tow) logged since getting CP.
• Successfully attend a Club Coach course.
• Be recommended by your club (Chief Coach and Chair sign).

Club Coach courses are hosted by clubs around the country. For current dates and contact details, see the BHPA Courses page. Further ahead, its list includes:

• 16–17 January 2027: Devon & Somerset.
• 27–28 February 2027: Dales HG & PG.
• 20–21 March 2027: Dunstable.

Senior Coach prerequisites

• Hold a Club Coach appointment.
• Have a P rating with good active experience.
• Attend the Instructor course.
• Be recommended by your club.
• Pass an assessment.

The BHPA's first aid rules say every coach other than a Club Coach must have done a one-day first aid course of at least 6 hours.

A Senior Coach also helps the Chief Coach organise club coaching, build the coaching team and develop new coaches. The BHPA lists the Senior Coach course at £450 a person, and the cost can vary with location.

Staying licensed

• Coach licences are renewed every year when you renew your membership.
• For Club and Senior Coaches, your Chief Coach signs a declaration of support.
• The BHPA recommends re-attending a coach course at least every five years.

Source: Technical Manual (Amendment 24), BHPA Courses, BHPA Fees, Coach Revalidation and Pilot Development, BHPA, checked October 2026.

Governing body: British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA). It sets the UK safety standards and training awards for paragliding, so it's the official place to find out more.

Typical prices, checked October 2026. The club or coach sets and bills the price.

The club map lists some of the UK clubs for this sport. It is a starting point, so check with the club before you travel. To have a coach found for you, use the enquiry form.