On May 4, the FAA issued its Director’s Determination in the Part 16 formal complaint submitted by Skydive Sacramento and supported in part by the USPA Airport Access Defense Fund. The determination addressed several specific complaints by Skydive Sacramento. On the most important complaint—that an airport cannot impose a requirement that is “unattainable”—the FAA agreed with the DZ and USPA. This is a major, positive development for skydiving, because it means that federally obligated airports may no longer require operational liability insurance for skydiving, which is not available and therefore unattainable. Those insurance requirements by airports will no longer prevent new DZs from opening on such airports.

Skydive Sacramento had been trying to access the Lincoln, California, Regional Airport since June 2007—and has been leasing a hangar since August 2008—but had not gained approval for skydivers to land on the airport because of the insurance requirement in question. USPA staff members had been looking for the right airport access issue to test the FAA’s “attainable” language and were convinced they had found it with the Skydive Sacramento case. The USPA Board of Directors agreed and, at its February 2010 meeting, voted to support Skydive Sacramento’s Part 16 complaint with an allocation from the USPA Airport Access Defense Fund, which ultimately totaled $9,000.

The FAA determined that the unattainable insurance provision constituted an unreasonable denial of access and gave the airport 30 days to submit a corrective action plan that would allow Skydive Sacramento airport access for its drop zone. The complete Part 16 case may be downloaded here.

In early 2009, Tim Allen decided to start a drop zone in western New York. Unaware of how to go about it, he contacted USPA Director of Government Relations Randy Ottinger. Ottinger helped Allen through the entire process—from finding an available airport to understanding in detail the applicable Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs). Ottinger also helped Allen work with a Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) that weren’t initially interested in having skydivers at the chosen airport, despite the fact that Allen was following their guidelines in developing his operation. USPA helped Allen through his communications with the FSDO and ATCT and helped them understand their own guidelines and how a drop zone could operate safely at the airport. Said Allen, “I believe that without [Ottinger’s] professionalism and knowledge of the FAA, FSDO and ATCT procedures, our new drop zone wouldn’t be operational today.”

Skydive East Tennessee is open after nearly a year of hard work and preparation. Owners Tim Carlyle, Nash and Donna Copeland, and Gary Speer purchased 81 acres near the tourist towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visiting skydivers can enjoy the sport they are passionate about, while friends and family enjoy the nearby tourist attractions. Skydive East Tennessee’s facilities include a new 3,000-square-foot building including class rooms, video editing, wireless internet, shower facilities and air-conditioned packing. The property also sports a secluded camping area next to a spring-fed stream. Aircraft for the first year consists of a Cessna 206 and two Cessna 182s. The owners have plans for a turbine aircraft in the future and also plan to offer load organizers.

Co-owner Nash Copeland commented that “USPA was very helpful throughout the start-up process by advising us regarding the need for various local, state and federal approvals; also assisting in site selection with regard to airspace and acting as a drop zone representative for communications with the FAA and local air traffic control.”

More information about the new drop zone can be found at www.skydiveET.com.

The crash of Skydive Quantum Leap’s Twin Otter on July 29, 2006, left many Midwestern skydivers numb, lost and heartbroken. Though the still-grieving family of skydivers rebuilt, it wasn’t long before skydiving was pushed out of the Sullivan Regional Airport in Missouri.

The operation quickly found a new home in Bowling Green, Missouri, as the St. Louis Skydiving Center. Yet just two seasons later the operation closed. But Mark and Ashley Cook, whose son Robert perished in the crash, spent the following months pursuing a new drop zone. They quickly learned that the road to opening a drop zone is paved with paperwork, city council meetings, research and many other not-so-desirable tasks. After months of roadblocks and little progress, the Cooks contacted USPA. Randy Ottinger, USPA’s Director of Government Relations, offered invaluable advice and support.

One week before the scheduled opening of the new DZ, more than seven months into the process, the plane was ready, the hangar lease signed, and the rig racks and packing mats were ready for parachutes. Everything was set to go, until a confusing phone call from local FAA officials appeared to be a kink in the hose. Minutes later, Ottinger was on the line, using his knowledge to educate the local FAA and get everyone informed. On May 16, just shy of the three-year anniversary of the tragic loss of those aboard the Twin Otter, Fly Free Skydiving was in full swing in Festus, Missouri, and jumpers in the Midwest have a place to call home, thanks in part to USPA.

The Triangle Skydiving Center is finally set to open in April 2009 following a six-month-long airport access process. The DZ will be located at the Triangle North Executive Airport in Louisburg, North Carolina. After encountering initial resistance from local officials, future DZO Greg Upper contacted USPA for assistance. USPA showed Greg how to best represent his aviation business to local government and convinced the county attorney and airport director to accommodate the drop zone. “I think that having USPA speak with the county attorney and the airport director made the difference,” said Upper. “I’m very grateful for the help provided by their government relations department.”

The airport, formerly known as the Franklin County Airport, has a 5,500-foot-long runway, a wide-open parachute landing area and is only a short drive from metropolitan Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Skydivers familiar with Carolina Sky Sports (CSS) will recognize that the new drop zone’s location is only five miles from the former CSS DZ.

More information about the new drop zone can be found at www.triangleskydivingcenter.com.

In November 2008, drop zone Skydive Columbus Ohio won final approval to operate at the Fairfield County Airport in Lancaster, Ohio. The Group Member DZ and USPA undertook a year and a half of intense negotiations with the FAA’s Columbus Flight Standards District Office and the Detroit Airport District Office, with the district decisions being reviewed by FAA officials at the regional and national level. The airport authority had originally denied the DZ proposal based on its previous experience with skydiving operations and because of safety concerns. The FAA determined that skydiving could be safely accommodated at the airport. Key to the victory was the airport’s obligation to comply with grant assurances after accepting federal airport improvement funds. The FAA considers skydiving to be an aeronautical activity having the same rights and responsibilities as other airport users.