is USPA responsible for our reputation?

[billvon 2,384]

I've seen two sort of opposite attitudes expressed here that seem diametrically opposed. The first one goes something like this:

"USPA is for us skydivers only. We should pay for things that improve the sport, like competitions, syllabus creation and instructor courses, and that's it. All those other things, like the group member program, should go. We also don't need no stinkin' age limits or any other non-safety related stuff in the BSR's."

The second attitude:

"One of the jobs of USPA is to keep us lookin' good in the eyes of the media, the FAA, the Olympic new-sport-selection committee, and various other community groups. Skydiving will be banned unless the general public holds a high opinion of us, and thus USPA should go out of its way to prevent 12 year olds from jumping, pass new safety and public-image guidelines, add BSR's and have some way of enforcing them. We should come down like a ton o' bricks on any group member who violates BSR's, and we should inspect DZ's to see if they are violating them. And of course, we have to get the word out that non-USPA DZ's are unsafe and bad, to distance ourselves from those potential fatality-and-lawsuit factories."

I think the primary difference between these two is a perception that USPA is responsible for our reputation, and must spend money and time to polish that image. I'm not sure that either extreme is correct. While I lean towards a small a USPA as possible, some of the reputation stuff makes sense from a dealing-with-the-FAA point of view. USPA is currently a strong enough force that the FAA is willing to include us in the FAR's and AC's by name, and I think it's important that we have one national organization to represent skydivers to the FAA. Our reputation now is such that the FAA takes our recommendations unless they see a reason not to; if we were to fracture into three or four organizations, each sending contradictory requests to the FAA, I think we'd see a lot less willingness on the part of the FAA to let us figure it out and tell them later.

Anyway, I think it's important to strike a balance between the two positions. I hope the next BOD sees it the same way.

[PhillyKev 0]

I agree completely. It would be nice if the first scenario could be achieved, but realistically, in this litigious society we need the image/lobbying aspect of it as well so that skydiving isn't sued or regulated out of existence. Even if it's not a directed effort against skydiving, FAA regs can cause major problems for us.

Balance is good, leaner is better.

[tombuch 0]

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I'm not sure that either extreme is correct. While I lean towards a small a USPA as possible, some of the reputation stuff makes sense from a dealing-with-the-FAA point of view. USPA is currently a strong enough force that the FAA is willing to include us in the FAR's and AC's by name, and I think it's important that we have one national organization to represent skydivers to the FAA........
......I think it's important to strike a balance between the two positions. I hope the next BOD sees it the same way.

Well said. Let's also think about the 50 separate State Governments. We've done a good job with the feds so far, we just need to keep it up and not water our effort down.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[quatorze 1]

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and not water our effort down.

Must agree.


Leaner would definitely be better but after working with the FAA for the better part of five years, I can definitely see how much we need the USPA to stand for us as opposed to numerous other groups sending mixed signals. If we continue to present a strong, united front, the powers that be only have one organization to confer with and answer to, which in turn makes their job that much easier and keeps them in a much better disposition in dealing with us.

Just a thought

I'm not afriad of dying, I'm afraid of never really living- Erin Engle

[bigjim 0]

The USPA should provide two services to the members. One is to host and regulate competition.
Although there are complexities associated with this, it is relatively straight forward and could, ideally, be handled for the most part by volunteers.

The other function is to counter the efforts of the politicians and bureaucrats that would like to make America safe from skydiving. This is way easier said than done. It involves, at the very least, lobbying,and could involve licensing and the other self regulating aspects.

All the other stuff like image promotion, publicity, magazine publishing, research, education, ect. is best left to those who will benefit most from it. That is to say, the skydiving industry which includes the commercial drop zones, the schools and the equipment manufacturers.
Please don't flame me for being a Parachutist hater because I am not. I just think that the USPA should be as streamlined and focused on the two missions that I described and all the rest should be left to private enterprise.

[yardhippie 0]

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The USPA should provide two services to the members. One is to host and regulate competition.

I dont like the sound of that, USPA should stay OUT of competition. Maybe set some guidelines for keeping events safe, by all means. Thats what we want, a safe sport not a regulated sport.

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Although there are complexities associated with this, it is relatively straight forward and could, ideally, be handled for the most part by volunteers.

Being the poor skydiver that I am, I dont belive the complexities of an organization this size can be handled in such a way. But hey, its a great idea.

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The other function is to counter the efforts of the politicians and bureaucrats that would like to make America safe...
All the other stuff like image promotion, publicity, magazine publishing, research, education, ect. is best left to those who will benefit most from it. That is to say, the skydiving industry which includes the commercial drop zones, the schools and the equipment manufacturers.

Yes we need this unity to effect the chagnges we need, BUT part of that comes from public opinion. Just as candidate will never win with a poor repution, perception of skydiving will do the same. If the public thinks were not safe, we have a huge battle, but if they think were dooing a great job. Keeping skydiving alive is sooo much easier. The USPA, in my mind, should see to all these fronts.

JR

Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD
"What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me
"Anything you want." ~ female skydiver
Mohoso Rodriguez #865

[bodypilot90 0]

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USPA should stay OUT of competition. Maybe set some guidelines for keeping events safe, by all means. Thats what we want, a safe sport not a regulated sport.

maybe we should hand things over to the FLS and only worry about the national teams.

[quade 3]

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I dont like the sound of that, USPA should stay OUT of competition. Maybe set some guidelines for keeping events safe, by all means. Thats what we want, a safe sport not a regulated sport.

Because you're posting completely anonymously I can't exactly tell where you're coming from on this, but from -my- pont of view, competitions are one of the places I think the USPA is worth my dues.

Every sport needs a regulating body and the USPA serves quite well in ours.

Where the heck are you coming from?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[quade 3]

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. . . maybe we should hand things over to the FLS and only worry about the national teams.

I certainly hope you're kidding.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[PhillyKev 0]

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Because you're posting completely anonymously

psst...click on the "full profile" instead of his user name.

[quade 3]

Ya know, there's something screwed up with my cookies and I haven't been able to do that all day, but in either case, his real name and where he's from -should- pop-up by clicking on his name.

There we go! Ok, it looks like I was deleting the wrong cookie! Hmmm, I had one for www.dropzone.com and dropzone.com. I wonder why there were two?

Anyway, yes, you're right, I can now see his name.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver