Education

Foreign licence

As soon as a pilot transfers their residency to Switzerland it is obligatory for them to obtain a Swiss licence in the appropriate category.

Residency outside Switzerland (valid 1.1.2025)

Liability insurance with at least 1 million Swiss franc coverage is obligatory. Identification markings on the glider are not compulsory.

Solo:
For pilots residing outside the country, occasional flights in Switzerland are allowed with the international pilot’s licence (IPPI) level IV or V. This licence should be obtained from their national association.

Tandem:
For occasional, non-commercial tandem flights a foreign tandem licence is acceptable.

Instructor:
Working as an instructor is not allowed.

Liability insurance

For flights in Switzerland, the following requirements apply regarding the amount of coverage (VLK Art. 10.):
Pilot Solo: at least CHF 1 million.
Pilot Biplace: for exam participation at least CHF 1 million; for commercial flights at least CHF 5 million

Pilot Solo guest insurance: If you don’t have a liability insurance with at least CHF 1 million, you can buy one at the Swiss Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (SHPA) for 30 days (CHF 51.-) or 120 days (CHF 82.50). 120 days is the maximum.
Pilot Biplace guest insurance: If you don’t have a liability insurance with at least CHF 5 million, you can buy one at the Swiss Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (SHPA) for 30 days (CHF 133.-) or 120 days (CHF 257.-). 120 days is the maximum. IMPORTANT: The guest insurance only covers non-commercial biplace flights in Switzerland. 120 days is the maximum.

General terms and conditions of insurance in German and French

Complementary accident insurance

In addition, you can buy complementary accident insurance. It is useful if your accident insurance does not cover paragliding or hang gliding accidents in Switzerland. It costs (CHF 248.-) for 30 days and (CHF 622.-) for 120 days. 120 days is the maximum.

Order an insurance: info(at)shv-fsvl.ch or 0041 44 387 46 83

Mention the following:

Last name / first name
Date of birth DD.MM.YYYY
Full address (main residence)
Desired insurance
Start date of the insurance
Duration of insurance (30/60/90/120 days)

Residency in Switzerland

As soon as a pilot transfers their residency to Switzerland it is obligatory for them to obtain a Swiss licence . For holders of a foreign license, the following simplified authorization procedure applies:

Pilot + IPPI 4
1. Registration with the SHV.
2. Completion of the theory exam (CHF 125.-).
3. Demonstration flights with a flight school to determine the pilot’s abilities/number of flights to be carried out.
4. The school notifies the SHV of the number of flights required before the practical exam can be attempted.
5. The SHV provides the pilot with a confirmation of acceptance for the practical exam
6. Registration for the practical exam. (CHF 125.-)
Pilot + IPPI 5
German or Austrian Pilots with a cross country authorization but no IPPI card can also choose the following variation:
1. The pilot registers with the SHV and submits a good quality scan (no photos) of their License and IPPI card, or posts the originals.
2. The SHV shall examine the documents and issue a "Confirmation of Simplified Admission" and a stamped training control sheet, which the pilot must present at the theory examination.
3. The pilot registers himself via the SHV website for the theory test (only for the legislation section) and presents the “Confirmation of simplified admission” as well as the training control sheet.
4. After passing the theory examination, the pilot automatically receives the Swiss License, as soon as the letter of admission and the training control sheet have been submitted to the SHV.
Tandem
Case 1
A pilot holds an acknowledged tandem licence but has limited experience as a professional tandem pilot.

The Biplace 1 level is not applicable. The entire Biplace 3 training (incl. partial examination solo flights) must be completed.

Case 2
A pilot holds an acknowledged tandem licence and can demonstrate a high level of experience as a professional tandem pilot.

The Biplace 1 level is not applicable. All Biplace 3 level examinations must be passed in this order:
- Theory exam incl. passenger care
- Practical exam "Part solo flights"
- Practical exam "Part tandem flights"
The training contents of the Biplace 3 level (30 training flights, passenger care course) and all waiting periods do not apply. This will be checked in each individual case by the SHV by means of available certificates and verifiable flight experience (certificates + flight log + letter of recommendation).
Instructor

For a simplified authorization as a flight instructor, applicants should contact the SHV directly.
Speedflying

Foreign speedflying pilots require a speedflying licence extension in every case in order to legally carry out speedflying.

As there is no internationally accepted regulation governing speedflying (such as with the IPPI level system for paragliding), the speedflying licence extension is obligatory for all speedfliers, regardless of whether they are living in Switzerland or not.

The base level for this extension is a paragliding license with IPPI level 4 or 5.

APPI license holders are not authorized to fly in Switzerland!

According to APPI (not to be confused with IPPI), their main goal is to build a network of instructors with the aim of promoting a uniform training system in all countries. APPI licenses are intended to define a uniform pilot level across countries, but provide no authority to fly in each respective country.