USPA Welcomed More Than 6,800 New Members In 2016

For the fifth year in a row, the U.S. Parachute Association is reporting record growth, indicating that more and more people are not only jumping for the first time, but are taking up the sport as a hobby and a passion.

In 2016, USPA membership again set record highs, topping 39,000 members for the first time in the association’s 70-year history. Last year, more than a half million people experienced the thrill of a lifetime, taking the leap for the first time. These first-timers and USPA members combined to make roughly 4 million skydives at more than 220 USPA-affiliated skydiving schools and centers across the country.
 
USPA also welcomed more than 6,800 new members and issued more than 4,000 basic skydiving licenses, proving that more first-timers are coming back to pursue the sport and become certified solo jumpers.
 
Even as the sport shows increased growth, accident numbers continue to remain comparatively low. In 2016, 21 people died in the U.S. while skydiving, or roughly 0.005 fatalities per 1,000 jumps—among the lowest rate in the sport’s history!
 
Skydiving continues to improve its safety record due in large part to safer equipment, diligent training and dedicated skydiving centers and instructors. USPA institutes safety standards, certifies skydiving instructors and establishes training programs for new skydivers, constantly working to make the sport safer. In addition, this year USPA will hold its 21st annual Safety Day—scheduled for March 11—where drop zones across the country offer safety seminars and refresher training.
 
And this May, USPA will hold its second annual Learn to Skydive Month, where drop zones around the country will offer free first-jump ground courses, inviting people to learn more about the sport and maybe even take the leap for the first time.
 
“As skydiving continues to increase in popularity, USPA is proud of our sport’s dedication to reducing the risk and making skydiving safer for both newcomers and licensed jumpers,” says USPA Executive Director Ed Scott. “We’re excited for another year of growth and introducing people to the wonderful world of skydiving!”

For sheer excitement and a life-changing experience, no sport comes close to skydiving. Just about anyone 18 years of age or older can take to the skies after some comprehensive safety instruction. In fact, all it takes is a half hour of ground school to prepare for a tandem jump, the easiest and most popular way to experience skydiving for the first time. Tandem jumping allows students to experience the thrill of freefall from more than two miles up while securely harnessed to an experienced, licensed instructor.
 
Another first-jump method called Accelerated Freefall (AFF) allows students to jump solo right away—with two instructors at their side—after four to five hours of intense ground instruction. Some locations also still offer the tried-and-true static-line first-jump method with modern equipment. Just about anyone can earn a license in as few as 25 jumps.
 
(Image from USPA video)

FMI: www.uspa.org, Video