Membership
Thank you for joining or renewing your membership in the Sandia Soaring Association (SSA). The SSA has been around since 1979. We administer, insure, and maintain three central New Mexico sites for the benefit of all club members. Annual dues include all membership rights and benefits.
Some of the SSA Membership Benefits
Day of flight planning, site intros and club communications is done through the Telegram Messenger app which is our primary way of communicating. Details can be found on the Communications page. If you are visiting, you should join the "Sandia Soaring Association" telegram group and post up your visiting dates (to the "General Chat/weather/mentoring/introductions" topic) so you can get with our amazing group of helpful local pilots for site intros. Click on the Telegram app icon in the footer to download the app, or here.
Access and Preservation of three SSA Maintained and USHPA insured Flying Sites. SSA serves as your point of contact for maintaining Landowner and Agency relations to help preserve and keep our sites open. Insurance to help preserve and protect our Landowners and Agencies at these sites: Sandia Peak and Crest, La Bajada, and Blue Springs
Weather Station Maintenance at Sandia Peak and La Bajada.
Site Guides for Sandia Peak and Crest, La Bajada, and Blue Springs.
Free O2 fills for Aviator's Oxygen tanks.
Membership Requirements
The SSA is a local chapter of USHPA, (United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association). USHPA Pilot membership is required** and by submitting my Annual or Visitor SSA Application / Renewal, by proceeding to Payment, I agree to maintain USHPA membership in good standing when flying and or participating in SSA activities.
In order to fly regulated sites in the US, you will need to be a USHPA member (10-Day affiliate or Pilot) and you will be required to hold whatever rating/skill level is required for that particular site. (via your home country rating card, an IPPI card, or an active USHPA rating).
By paying dues or submitting the membership form (below), I also reaffirm
I have read in full and agree to the USHPA Association Liability Release that extends to SSA as a local chapter.
I have read in full and agree to the SSA USHPA Chapter Waiver .
**Non Rated Students
May Join SSA if and only if they have a valid USHPA pilot membership.
**Visiting International Pilots
You will first need an annual USHPA Pilot (rated P2-P5 and/or H2-H5) or "Student/Affiliate 10-day" membership (Membership Levels). The Student/Affiliate 10-day Membership is a hard-copy form that you will need to get from a USHPA member holding a current, valid Instructor certification (SSA can not issue these). You must get this in person as the instructor will need to verify your home country rating card plus your IPPI card. The instructor will then give you the affiliate paper membership card which you will need to keep with you (along with your home country rating and IPPI cards) when flying SSA sites. This will have your temporary USHPA membership # that you will need when filling out the SSA Registration form (see "Steps to Join or Renew your Membership" section below).
Once you have your USHPA pilot or Student/Affiliate 10-day Membership card, you may join the SSA with a Visitor or Annual Membership.
***If you want to fly the Sandia Peak, be sure to review the requirements for visiting international pilots.
Please see the International pilot information page at USHPA for more details.
Peak Pass
The SSA has full annual and one month visiting pilot memberships like most USHPA chapters. The SSA also has something unique called a "Peak Pass" that can optionally be purchased IN ADDITION to your membership.
Peak Passes helps us pay for the liability insurance that is required by the Sandia Peak Tram in order for free-flight pilots to ride the Tram for the purposes of free-flight off of the Sandia mountains. We are the last club with Tram access in the country, in large part because of the high cost of insurance. The Peak Pass dues do not cover all of our Tram related insurance costs. Please consider including a donation when you fill out the membership form. We'd be grateful if you would contact us to discuss other fundraising ideas to help us keep the Tram access possible.
Once you have purchased a Peak Pass and met the requirements in the Sandia Site Guide, this allows you to purchase a Tram ticket from the Sandia Peak Tramway so that you can ride the Tram to the Sandia Peak launch with your PG or HG equipment.
There are very specific requirements for flying the peak and riding the tram to fly the peak. Please see the Sandia Site Guide -> LAUNCHING -> Sandia Peak Launch -> Access section for specifics.
If you are a visiting pilot, you should also make sure you understand well in advance the Sandia Site Guide -> General Information -> Visiting Pilots information. There are steps you must take prior to showing up at the Tram.
If you do not understand the process, please reach out to us ahead of time. Even if you have joined the SSA and purchased a Peak Pass, the Sandia Peak Tramway will not sell you a ticket to ride the tram for the purposes of flying PGs or HGs from the Sandia mountains without meeting the requirements in the site guide.
Membership Dues
Annual
Annual SSA Membership: $100. This includes voting rights in the SSA. You are allowed to fly at all the SSA sites and launches, but without the peak pass you will not be allowed to ride the tram to the Peak launch.
Annual SSA Membership with Peak Pass: $250. Select this if purchasing or renewing your annual membership and peak pass.
Starting in 2023, Bylaws updates were voted in and annual memberships now run from October 1 - September 30. Your membership will expire Sep 30 and renewals will be due in October; this year if purchased before Sep 1, next year if purchased after Sep 1. A few points for clarity..
Annual renewals can be paid anytime after Sep. 1 for the following year. e.g.,
renew 2023-09-01, it's good through 2024-09-30
renew 2023-12-01, it's good through 2024-09-30
If you purchased a membership before 2023-04-14 (Bylaws changed), it is still good for one year from date of purchase. If purchased after that, it is good through Sep. 30.
Prorates for non-full year memberships on request only. There is a comment section in the SSA Registration form where you can request this.
For NEW memberships, we will prorate any annual membership purchased before Sep 1. (on request). Purchase in June and request the prorate amount and you will only be billed for Jun-Sep (25% of annual cost).
For renewals of current memberships that were purchased before 2023-04-14, we will prorate any amount left on your current membership if renewed before its expiration.
One Month Visitor
Visitor One Month SSA Membership: $50. This is good for one month from the day you pay dues and does not include voting rights. You are allowed to fly at all the SSA sites and launches, but without the peak pass you will not be allowed to ride the tram to the Peak launch.
Visitor One Month SSA Membership with Peak Pass: $125. This is a combination membership + Peak Pass for 1 Month. Select this if you are visiting pilot and intend to access the Peak launch via the Tram. NOTE: First time visiting pilots the Peak Pass is gratis. You would still select this option but you will only be invoiced $50 for the Visitor membership.
Add Peak Pass
If you would like to add the Peak Pass after purchasing a membership without it, please Contact Us to request this.
Steps to Join or Renew your Membership
Visiting International Pilots: Please see the "**Visiting International Pilots" section above on how to get your temporary USHPA membership # that you will need for the SSA Member Registration form.
Download and sign the SSA USHPA Chapter Waiver . You will need to upload this document in the next step so you will need an electronic version of the signed document. Here is some help on how to do this...
On Desktop
Print and Sign the document. Scan or take a photo of the signed document.
Fill out the SSA Member Registration form ensuring your USHPA number is correct and you include your filled out (printed name and date) and signed SSA USHPA Chapter Waiver. Upon submission you will get an email confirmation with the data you submitted. If anything appears to be incorrect, Contact Us with corrections.
Once we have verified your USHPA Pilot membership is CURRENT (here: https://www.ushpa.org/m/YOUR_USHPA_NUMBER), you will be emailed an invoice from PayPal for payment of dues.
Once that is paid, you are officially an SSA member in good standing for the period you paid for and are allowed to fly our three USHPA insured sites.
** To be clear: You are paying for dues in the SSA and/or a Peak Pass, a chapter of USHPA. You are NOT paying for flights, tandems, instruction, transportation to our sites or any other service or product.