Section 1: The United States Parachute Association
Section Summary
The United States Parachute Association is a membership organization,
incorporated as a not-for-profit association, such that each regular member has an
equal vote and an equal voice in establishing the policies of the Association.
In its sporting role, USPA is the official U.S. skydiving representative recognized by
the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) and the official skydiving representative
of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) in the USA.
In its governing role, USPA is officially recognized by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) as the representative of skydivers in the United States.
USPA is an organization of skydivers, run by skydivers for skydivers, and it is your
voice in skydiving. USPA keeps skydivers skydiving.
who needs this section?
- anyone first getting acquainted with
USPA
THE UNITED STATES PARACHUTE
ASSOCIATION (Overview)
A. Your USPA Representatives
USPA Regional Directors are jumpers
from your region of the country and are
elected by you (and the other members
within your region) to the USPA Board
every three years. There are 14 USPA
Regions and, therefore, 14 USPA Regional
Directors. The USPA Board also includes
eight National Directors, elected by the
USPA membership at large.
Nearly all drop zones have at least one
USPA Safety & Training Advisor (S&TA)
who is appointed by and serves as your
direct link to your USPA Regional
Director. The S&TA is a local jumper who
is available on your drop zone to provide
you with administrative services and
information.
B. USPA Leadership
The members of the USPA Board elect
officers, including a president, vice
president, secretary, treasurer, and chair
of the board. The officers, together with
an additional member-at-large, also
elected from among the USPA Board
members, make up the USPA Executive
Committee. The Executive Committee is
responsible for making decisions and
taking care of important matters that
arise between the USPA Board meetings.
C. USPA Policy Making
The USPA Board of Directors
establishes USPA policies and procedures
during meetings held twice a year. The
board operates through a committee
system comprised of USPA Board
members with special qualifications and
interests. Each of the committees
provide guidance and advice in major
areas of activity within the sport.
The actions of each working
committee must be approved by the full
USPA Board before becoming USPA
policy. Each USPA Director has one vote
at USPA Board meetings. Voting
responsibility includes not only making
business decisions and setting policy, but
also the establishment and modification
of the Basic Safety Requirements and
official USPA Recommendations. USPA
Board members cast their votes based on
the input they receive from their constituency (the membership) and their
own judgment.
D. The USPA Headquarters Staff
Between the meetings of the USPA
Board, held twice each year, USPA's
administrative staff conducts the day-today business of the organization. The
USPA Board hires the Executive Director,
who assumes all the various
responsibilities and duties assigned by
the USPA Board. The Executive Director,
in turn, hires the staff, which operates
from USPA Headquarters, in
Fredericksburg, Virginia.
In summary, USPA Headquarters, led
by the Executive Director, serves the
USPA membership and carries out the
instructions and policies set by the
Board of Directors.
E. USPA Constitution and By-Laws
USPA operates under a constitution
and by-laws that define the
organization's purpose. They are
contained in the USPA Governance
Manual, available on USPA's website or
from USPA Headquarters.
United States Parachute Association
5401 Southpoint Centre Blvd.
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22407
(540) 604-9740 (phone)
(540) 604-9741 (fax)
uspa@uspa.org
www.uspa.org