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IPPI stands for International Pilot Proficiency Information. The FAI/CIVL card provides a common reference for comparing national pilot rating systems. Its SafePro Para stage helps site managers and instructors understand a pilot’s experience.
How the card works
An IPPI card is valid only together with a current national licence or rating card. An approved issuing association assigns a stage based on an existing national qualification. Pilots request the card from such an association, not directly from FAI.
Two issue formats
- Per level: a separate physical card, replaced when a change in national qualification makes its stated level inaccurate.
- Per year: an IPPI mark placed on the national licence by an approved association.
What IPPI does not do
IPPI is not a stand-alone licence, insurance policy or airspace permission. Country, site and event requirements may differ. Holding the card does not remove the pilot’s duty to assess weather, equipment and personal ability.
Before travelling, verify that your national document is current, whether IPPI is accepted at the destination, local regulations and insurance requirements.
What the IPPI card is for
Introduced in 1992, the International Pilot Proficiency Information (IPPI) card provides a common reference for comparing national pilot rating programmes. The SafePro Para stage shown on it helps a site manager or instructor understand a visiting pilot’s experience. The card is valid only together with a current national licence or rating card; it is not an independent international licence or a practical assessment. Before travelling, verify that the national document remains valid, that the receiving site accepts the evidence and that the issuer is authorized. A card is useful information, not automatic flight permission.
How IPPI relates to SafePro Para
An authorized issuing association maps an existing national rating to the SafePro Para stage recorded on the IPPI card; a pilot cannot select a stage merely by completing this course. FAI describes two issue arrangements: a physical card for a particular stage and an annual IPPI mark on a national licence. In both cases the underlying national licence or rating must be current. IPPI provides no insurance, does not cancel national or site requirements and says nothing about the weather or the pilot’s readiness on a particular day. Those checks remain separate decisions before flight.
BHPA Pilot Rating Scheme
The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association separates the introductory Elementary Pilot award from three proper ratings: Club Pilot (Novice), Pilot and Advanced Pilot. EP marks an early school-training milestone; it is not the Club Pilot rating. Club Pilot marks completion of formal basic instruction for flying within BHPA member clubs, while Pilot and Advanced Pilot reflect later development. A BHPA rating may be expressed through an IPPI/SafePro comparison for travel, but the current BHPA conversion and destination requirements must be checked. The UK scheme does not replace another country’s licensing rules.
DHV licences and recognition
The German DHV distinguishes a restricted A licence from the B licence associated with cross-country authorization. Its official guidance says that residents in Germany need a valid German or Austrian licence to fly there. DHV reviews foreign training and licences through specific documentary procedures; an IPPI card does not automatically become a German licence. The LTF/EN classification of a wing concerns equipment testing, not the pilot’s legal qualification. Check the current DHV rules and your residence and activity before relying on a foreign document; recognition is a process rather than a title printed on a card.