USPA Director committing/supporting FAR Violations?

[chuckakers 370]

I will begin this post by making one thing exceedingly clear. I DO NOT KNOW THE FOLLOWING TO BE FACTS. I was provided the information by another jumper who posts regularly on dz.com and whom I consider credible. I will not divulge any names because I cannot verify any of it and do not plan to try.

If the names of any of the involved parties or drop zone are revealed in this thread, so be it. However I won’t be the one to name any names, so don’t throw down on me.

According to the source, there is a USPA board member that regularly jumps at a drop zone where jumpers don’t wear seat belts for take-off, which is of course in direct violation of Federal Aviation Regulations, and therefore in direct violation of USPA Basic Safety Requirements. The drop zone in question is not a USPA group member, so it could be said that following BSR’s isn’t necessary. Following FAR’s however, is required by all drop zones in the U.S.

USPA continues to preach to us that we need to change our ways or the FAA will do it for us – as in crack down on all aspects of skydiving with additional regulations and restrictions. If the drop zone in question were to have an aircraft incident and it was discovered that the failure to wear seat belts contributed to the body count, the sport will come under renewed scrutiny by the feds, something the rest of the rule-abiding skydivers and drop zones don’t need or deserve.

Personally, I find it disturbing that there may be a USPA director that jumps at a DZ where FAR violations are the routine, and even more disturbing if the director participates in the violation as well. That's just my opinion. I believe if USPA talks the talk, the officials who run it should walk the walk.

The purpose of this post is to solicit opinions on the issue.

Tear it up.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[mjosparky 3]

DZ’s violating FAR’s and BSR’s is fairly common. There are pilots flying without a commercial license, pilots putting out static line students, tandems done by non certified jumpers, pilots and instructors working under the influence of recreational substances and a variety of other stupid shit. The members of the board would have to be living under a rock not to be aware of some of this.

A quote from USPA’S web page, “The United States Parachute Association (USPA) is a voluntary membership organization of individuals who enjoy and support the sport of skydiving.” USPA is no longer an organization of individuals but has turned into Business Association of DZO’s. This is a huge conflict of interest for those board members who are DZO’s or are a representative of a DZO. The interests of the DZO’s often are often not in the best interest of the individual jumper. A good example would be the Sky ride fiasco. There was no reason in the world for USPA to get involve in that mess except to protect the Group Members. How much did that cost us?

I am aware of the board member and dz you refer to and you bet there will be no sanctions against him.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[diablopilot 2]

What he said.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[Andy9o8 0]

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I believe if USPA talks the talk, the officials who run it should walk the walk.

I've posted this before. A few years back there was a double-fatality from a canopy collision at a certain large DZ (which is a group member). Top jumper 270'd into the lower jumper, and they both died. I was on a road trip, and jumped at that DZ about 4 or 5 days after the fatality. I was standing on the back porch watching landings and having a 3-way conversation with a certain (now former) senior member of USPA's Executive Committee (who was also visiting) and one of the DZ's senior instructors. Right in front of us, people were cranking 270s and swooping right through the busy pattern in the LZ. Neither one of them said squat, or even seemed to notice. Not a very good example, IMO.

[stratostar 5]

The FAA is dealing with ---- ----- in their own way....

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[LyraM45 0]

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The FAA is dealing with ---- ----- in their own way....

And it's a shame that the FAA has to be involved like it is! Seriously no bueno!

You can't fix stupid.... or careless for that matter.... or people who choose to look in the opposite direction of stupid and/or careless.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[stratostar 5]

Well yes it is, it's people like that who shine the bad light on the whole industry in many peoples eyes. However in the last ten years or so, IMHO, there has been a great deal of good work being done by a handful of people @ USPA, and one person there has done most the hard work.... the end result is the FAA & USPA have a good working understanding on these matters and the industry has been and is trying to rid it's self of the bad apples.

The FAA is not stupid, while some inspectors are in fact stupid too skydiving, many are not and at high levels in the agency. There is still a great deal of work to be done "cleaning up" the many problems we face as a sport and industry, but rouge dzo's who have been the outlaws of the old days are now living numbered days if they don't play ball. Changes are coming in regards to a number of positive things for skydivers in access rights, with those rights comes responsibility to play by the rules if we expect to have equal rights and use of the airspace system.

It only takes one or two fucktards to mess up all the good done by the many and ruin the whole deal for everyone..... but hey fuck you, I got my 15 dollar slots while the gitten was good~

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[jdfreefly 1]

I'm guessing the date was July 4th and the year was 2004.

2004 was a very different year for canopy flight than 2011. Also, the senior member you mention was relatively close with one of the deceased. He and all of us were in quite the state of shock. I think today most of the people in your story would handle it differently...maybe not.

Methane Freefly - got stink?

[Andy9o8 0]

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I'm guessing the date was July 4th and the year was 2004.

It was 2005; and 6 years wasn't so long ago. Have things really, really changed all that much since then? I hope so; but I'm not so sure.

[mjosparky 3]

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I'm guessing the date was July 4th and the year was 2004.

It was 2005; and 6 years wasn't so long ago. Have things really, really changed all that much since then? I hope so; but I'm not so sure.

If I remember they were the only 2 in the air and they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Sad.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[LyraM45 0]

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It only takes one or two fucktards to mess up all the good done by the many and ruin the whole deal for everyone..... but hey fuck you, I got my 15 dollar slots while the gitten was good~

And that is exactly what I'm talking about. Only takes one bad apple to shine a whole lotta' bad light on a bunch of good ones.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[jdfreefly 1]

Missed your reply, 2005 it was.

I know my attitude about these parachutes and this subject changed over the following years, and that specific accident had a lot to do with that. I can't speak for Glenn or any of the staff at CK, but my attitude didn't change that day, or the following weeks, but over time it did change.

Methane Freefly - got stink?