Visiting Pilots

New Zealand is an awesome country!

We understand many people come to visit our wonderful shores. If you're a paraglider or hang glider pilot, there's some things you need to know.

  1. Hang Gliding and Paragliding in New Zealand is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority, with delegation to the New Zealand Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association.

  2. It is in aviation law that you need to be a member of the NZHGPA to legally fly in New Zealand. This applies to all pilots, visitors included.

  3. The NZHGPA offers a cost effective temporary membership that gives full access to flying in NZ, $5 million liability insurance cover and support from local clubs and the national association.

For all information and sign up, please visit NZHGPA - Visiting Pilots Info and Sign up

It is advisable you do this before arriving in NZ to prevent any delays in processing your membership.

When travelling around the country and exploring new sites, please contact the local clubs for any current site issues, closures, site protocols etc.

A lot of our flying sites are on private land, and we fly by the goodwill of those landowners. It wouldn't take much to lose that goodwill, so we need to adhere to some rules.

Contacts for local clubs are on the NZHGPA website. A lot of clubs also operate a Facebook group.

Airspace is another issue in large parts of the country, with many congested and restricted air spaces. If you don't have an up-to-date Visual Navigation Chart, or electronic Airspace files, let the locals advise you so you do not breach any restricted airspace.

If you are planning on bringing your glider into the country, be advised that NZ has some strict Biosecurity rules.

Click here for information provided by Biosecurity NZ on ways to prepare.


Welcome. We hope you have a fantastic time and we look forward to seeing you on the hill.