2020 Summer USPA Board meeting results

Summer USPA BOD Meeting - September 18-20, 2020

The USPA Board of Directors held its Summer meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, September 18-20.  The board meeting was broadcast live via Zoom Webinar for any USPA members who wanted to observe and watch our deliberations. The BOD foresees that his may be a venue for future meetings.
1. Due to the recent pandemic membership, licenses and ratings were down as expected but they are slowly rebounding.
2. The S&T felt that there needed to be more clarity and defined criteria for the BSR 2-1.G.6.a. on who can supervise a Coach or a D licensed skydiver when jumping with students in a group.
- The new wording will be a. Student freefall training for group freefall jumps must be conducted by either a USPA Coach or a D-License holder approved to make coach jumps by their S&TA, under the supervision of a USPA Instructor
3.  The S&T revisited the D License requirements and made some adjustments for the members to meet the criteria. The original intent of the previous change was to allow the D license applicant to choose or complete 2 of either of the listed items outline in section 3-1. The S&T committee made necessary adjustments to reflect the needed changes.
- Move to change SIM section 3-1.E.D LICENSE.1.C. to read:
“Completed two of the following requirements (a requirement can be repeated):
1. night jump (following the SIM recommendations)
2. landed within seven feet of the target center on 100 jumps
3. participated in a canopy formation of a 3 stack or larger completing a full rotation.
4. completed an intentional water jump
5. successful completion of one hundred formation skydives, at least twenty-five of which must involve at least eight participants.”
4. The S&T committee decided to change the renewal criteria for expired rating holders over 2 years and for foreign rating holders who wish to challenge the course for certification. The new criteria is for them is to attend a full course to include all the air evaluations and ground preps.
5. The S&T committee discussed the merits of having an expired IE still have signature authority for USPA renewals and licenses. The committee felt that this was a venue that would serve the membership if the expired IE was still skydiving and kept their instructor ratings current in that discipline and was still relevant. This change will be reflected in the next addition of the IRM.
6. Coaches will soon have verification blocks they can sign on the 2-page A-license card to mirror the signature authority they have on the 4-page A-license card.
7. Regional Directors are now able to renew ratings up to 15 days expired for special or extenuating circumstances. A $40 expired rating renewal fee may apply.
8. The S&T committee developed a sub-committee to assist in developing a military proficiency certificate for servicemen and women who have completed military free fall schools and still want to continue skydiving at USPA GM drop zones.
9. USPA will be listing the medical type, i.e. FAA, Military, or Foreign, in credential verification lookup. This will assist and help DZO’s ensure that the tandem instructors working at the drop zones meet the BSR requirements.
10. The committee established rating renewal requirements for PRO rated holders. If they are have expired from 12-24 months, they will have to do two stand-up landings, making the first contact and stopping within an area 40 feet long by 20 feet wide: fortheir respective wing loadings of 1.5:1 (Lower & Higher), in the presence of a current Regional, National, or U.S./FAI International Judge; Regional or National Director; S&TA, or IE.
11. For Tandem IE candidates who wish to achieve the USPA Tandem IE rating, out of the 25 air and ground evaluations that are required – 15 of them need to be focused on Category A and B jumps and group evaluations. Candidates will have to list these on their respective vetting sheets.
12. The S&T committee tasked a sub-committee to research and define recommendations for angle jumps and tracking jumps that could be added to USPA SIM Section 6-2. These recommendations will be brought to the committee for review.
13. To assist Drop Zones where additional proctoring personnel are needed, USPA Judges will now be able to administer the A, B, and C License tests and USPA Judge Examiners can administer the D License test.
14.  Other Meeting highlights include:
- The USPA board of Directors worked on a values statement and an online code of conduct. Pending final adoption, these statements will be released soon.
- Your primary membership card is currently available in your USPA profile for download and printing. If you would like a physical card mailed to you upon joining, renewing, or adding a license or rating, please ensure your individual settings reflect that preference.
- The board awarded the following USPA service awards - The USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service to Kurt Gaebel, D-18635 & Yong Chisholm, D-21693.
- After 24 years of service for USPA, Executive Director Ed Scott attended his 48th and final board meeting. President Chuck Akers presented Ed with a plaque from board and staff commemorating his dedication.
A full report will appear in the November issue of Parachutist. The board will meet next January 29-31, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio.