Question about BPA jump numbers in 2005?

[Adriandavies 0]

In the BPA annual report looking back at 2005 the chairman of the BPA, Chris Allen, quotes provisional figures for total number of jumps in the UK of 230,000. This is for 5070 full members, so this equates to an average of just 45 jumps per full member! This seems to be suspicously low as I would have thought that most active skydivers would on make a lot more jumps than this. To get such a low average either DZ's under report jump numbers to the BPA or many BPA members must be inactive or mainly jump abroad? My figure for average jumps would be even lower if I had included the 29132 provisional members (tandem students?) and 2361 temporary members (visiting skydivers or pre A certificate students?).

I jump at a busy turbine DZ so I'm basing my assumption on what I see there but maybe skydivers at smaller Cessna DZ's make a lot less jumps and therefore bring the average number down? Or maybe I'm just plain wrong in thinking that 100-200 jumps per year is usual and that my 50 per year is therefore above average?

[TrickyDicky 0]

There are alot of full members that are not active jumpers, or people that dont make many jumps. I think all pilots are full members, for example, and not alot of them jump.

Ive always been told that of the membership figures, you should halve it to get actual active jumpers.

UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

[Mark4 0]

I think it might be about right.

Average UK turbine = 15 people and say 20 lifts on a reasonable day = 300 jumps per day - 600 per weekend.
Say 40 good weekends = 12,000 per turbine.

How many turbines have we in the UK? Can't be more than about 15. So that gives us 180,000. Add on the 206s and weekday jumping and it's probably about right.

Bear in mind a lot of us get the numbers up abroad. I do about half my jumps in the US and Spain.

[Mark4 0]

Hmmm, ok before anyone else gets there I think I screwed up the maths there!

Maybe we don't get 40 good weekends though

[franman 0]

Well, I only managed 12 in the UK last year - below average. Remember that you have to become a full member as soon as you do your first freefall on RAPS and not everyone who does that carries on with the sport.

Francis

[MooChooser 0]

5070 members divided by 22 DZs in britain comes to about 250 jumpers per DZ.

I think that if you find the average number of regulars per DZ it will be way lower than 250.

[julesshrew 0]

Sounds about right (take away the jumps abroad) I did 51 since my AFF at the end of last March. Save a few days at Langar all the jumps were at Tilstock I was there pretty much every weekend and tend to do 2 a weekend (weather and finances permitting)

[skykittykat 0]

I didn't renew my BPA membership in 2005, but had to renew it in Sep/Oct for Jump for the Cause as the Isle of Man was my country of residence, even though I had all my USPA docs and Sporting Licence from the States. I did 0 jumps in the UK in 2005 and in 2004 did 20 jumps and that was for the Brit Chicks record jumps.

I know a few other people who are full time BPA members who live and jump abroad and didn't jump in the UK in 2005.

Liz