Some Good News, Some Bad (Okay It’s Mostly Bad)

The United States Parachute Association met for its 2024 Winter Board of Directors Meeting, with good and bad news for membership.

On the bad-news side, the USPA has increased fees across the board, with new memberships, renewals, licenses, and ratings seeing a 20% bump in cost across the board. The USPA has kept its 2018 pricing since instituting those rates, and says that it has to kick the fee schedule upwards to "keep in line with increased costs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and general cost-of doing business and inflation issues over the past six years." They maintain that the new numbers came "after multiple days of debate by board members devoted to best supporting jumpers," and will allow the USPA to stay on top of operational costs that have "increased significantly...without cutting services to members." For those on the precipice of a renewal, the new costs go into effect on the 1st of July.

The good news, however, was...mostly busy work and organizational stuff. The 2025 USPA National Championships were moved to Skydive Arizona in Eloy, the US Speed Skydiving Team expanded for the FAI World Championships and World Cups, and the number of rounds in mixed formation skydiving for Nationals was bumped from 8 to 10. Plans to update bylaws, hold a referendum for citizenship requirements to serve on the board, and discuss a USPA International Affiliate DZO Conference were also put in place.

Changes that may affect operations on the ground may include a recommendation that "tandem instructors have at least 200 tandem jumps before jumping a canopy smaller than 330 square feet". The requirements to get a tandem examiner rating were amended, effective in 2025. They will then require "at least 25" cat A or B training jumps under the direct supervision of a tandem examiner. There was some good news for instructors, since they can now complete USPA-approved online CE modules in place of the traditional rating renewal seminar. A more concise A-License Progression Card will go into effect next year, doing away with the current two-page A-License Proficiency Card.

FMI: www.uspa.org