What's the worst that could happen?

[popsjumper 2]

My opinion:
Whatever the circumstances and motivations, the jump still could have been done above board to include all necessary submissions and approvals. The BOD has expedited requests in the past and will do so again in the future, I'm sure.

Kip did a favor and is to be commended for that. It could have been done within the rules of the organizations involved.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[CaptZypher 0]

Quote

I think this is the first post I have written on DZ.COM and am only doing it because my Son is the individual that was taken on the tandem. In September of 2006 I created a program called Dreams of Fastrax. I commissioned my friend, skydiver and artist Kelly Green to create a piece of artwork that depicts a young child sleeping and dreaming about participating in our great sport. I contacted United Parachute Technologies and was granted permission to take children 12 and older with a terminal illness for a tandem skydive as long has they were strong enough and meet weight and height requirements. I contacted SkyVenture XP and asked if they would participate in this venture for those children that were not strong enough to handle freefall.

Our posters of the artwork Kelly produced are now sold across the country at Children’s Hospitals raising money for their hospice organization. Our Caravan is used in the Mercy network to take these children on plane rides or travel to the wind tunnels to experience the gift of flight.

Dreams of Fastrax are making the dreams of children come true with the gift of flight either in freefall, a wind tunnel or our aircraft. Their parents have all said that it seemed to give their children a renewed sense of energy and that they watch their videos over and over. Several of these children have since passed and we have received letters from their parents telling us how much this experience meant to them.

So what does this have to do with the 12 year old tandem? Since a friend of mine decided to send pictures of my 12 year old son to all of the USPA Board members and with so many people out their speaking untruths, I felt compelled to set the record straight. My Son, my beautiful 12 year old Son, my hero in life motivated me to create Dreams of Fastrax. I have been blessed with the time I have with him and as a Father will fulfill every dream he has until the good Lord calls him home. On a Sunday in August around 6:00 in the evening he approached me and said “Dad I want to skydive today? “ My Son is 5’10 195lbs and still strong enough to handle freefall, I looked at his Mother and she smiled and said it’s his dream. The rest is history! There were no dates falsified because no waivers were submitted. This was not a clandestine event as it was documented on video. Had there been time, I would have filed the waiver, but at that moment and that time these were the actions of a Father fulfilling the dreams of his child. My Son is now fulfilling his dream with his formation with Christ. Kip without hesitation knowing the risks performed this favor for me and I will forever be indebted for this special moment


Blue Skies and God Bless!

This is a touching story and I am truly sorry for your loss. I could never imagine the grief of loosing my son.

As tragic as this story is, it still does not make what this regional director did legal, ethical or legitimate. Nor does it magically turn him into what we expect a regional director and representative of the USPA to be, although I applaud his compassion.

Giving credit where credit is due and considering his ethics he'd probably make a great US senator.

If I had all the money Ive spent on skydiving, I'd spend it on skydiving!

[davelepka 4]

John,

Thanks for writing in with these details. I feel for you and your family with regards to your son, and the hardships you encountered.

I understand that Kip acted as a friend to you and your family. Between the two of you, the decicion was made to go forward with the jump. On the surface, it seems perfectly reasonable.

The trouble is that once he is elected to a public office, Kip no longer is able to make decisions based only how it will effect him. He accepted a responsibility to be a leader and representative of the sport, and the Mideast region. Any actions he takes while in office will reflect upon both, good or bad.

While he may have made the right choice based on being a TM, friend, and DZ manager, as a USPA BOD memeber, he certainly did not.

This act alone opened the USPA up to untold liability and bad press in the event the jump did not go as planned. Now he has a 90 suspension on his record while he was an active board memeber.

In the event of a future infraction or incident, how wil this play out for the USPA when it's discovered that one of our elected officials had a history of poor judgement, but remained in a position of leadership.

How does this reflect on the USPA? How does this reflect upon our ability as a sport to govern ourselves? How will this look in the eye of public opinion?

Again, I don't disagree with his choice if he were not an active BOD member. I might even disagree with a ratings suspension given the situation. But in the wake of it, his standing with the BOD cannot remain intact. It's simply too much of a liability.

By knowingly keeping him in a position of leadership, we as a sport are guilty of negligence, and illustrating a lack of ability to govern ourselves.