Requirements, Ratings, and Regulations
The United States Hang-gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) is a non-profit organization and is dedicated to promoting and preserving the future of free flight in the U.S. It is membership based and provides the framework for ratings and insurance for paragliding flying. Most (but not all) flying sites require you have a current USHPA rating in order to fly.
The Rating System currently in place is broken down into progressive steps to ensure a pilot’s skill level can be safely assumed based on their current rating.
P1 - Beginner Pilot (most students in training receive this rating within their first few training days)
P2 - Novice Pilot (your current goal - may take up to two weeks)
P3 - Intermediate Pilot
P4 - Advance Pilot
P5 - Master Pilot
Here are the current USPHA requirements for both P1 and P2 - familiarize yourself with them so you can be better prepared with an understanding of what is expected of your training. There is also a checklist in this program so that you and your instructor can keep up with your current progress.