At the July 16-18 USPA meeting in Alexandria, Virginia, a very happy surprise came when the board named former USPA national director and national champion Al Krueger for the USPA Lifetime Achievement Award for 2003. The board also awarded two USPA Gold Medals for Meritorious Achievement to former Mountain Regional Director Bill Wenger and to Tom Morrison.

There's been a lot of movement this year to get skydiving some much-needed promotion through the U.S. National Skydiving Championships. Working with marketing firm Anthony J. Furman and Associates, USPA and Perris Valley Skydiving will jointly host key representatives of the media and potential sponsors at this year's nationals. Perris will also host the 2005 nationals, with dates planned around the Labor Day weekend.

With no discussion, the USPA Board voted to treat all skydiving students the same in the Basic Safety Requirements: minimum 18 years old, or 16 with the notarized consent of a parent or guardian.

At the General Membership Meeting following the board meeting Friday night, former executive director Bill Ottley presented executive director Chris Needels with a Certificate of Achievement for ten years of service to USPA, along with USPA staff directors.

USPA is proceeding with the plans for a new headquarters just outside the Washington, D.C., area in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on land the association purchased last year. Groundbreaking is expected next spring, with completion and move-in in the fall.
At the same time, the American Museum of Sport Parachuting has independently bought a larger property adjacent to the new USPA Headquarters. The museum's construction date is pending.

Skydive University president Rob Laidlaw and the Safety & Training Committee provided USPA with the outline for the new Advanced Instructor Course, road tested and ready to include in this fall's edition of the USPA Instructional Rating Manual. Laidlaw soon plans to recommend two others for USPA appointment to conduct the course. The AIC will be added as one of the qualifications to become a course director, in lieu of some of the current qualifications. Laidlaw was also authorized to teach an experimental harness-hold instructor course to provide the USPA Accelerated Freefall Instructor rating to successful candidates.

A new canopy piloting outline for experienced jumpers will appear in the 2005 SIM to prepare those who'd like to proceed to the next skill level.

USPA selected the Florida Skydiving Center in Lake Wales to host the collegiate parachuting championships at the end of 2005.

The first meeting of the 2005-2006 USPA Board takes place January 14-16 in conjunction with the Parachute Industry Association Symposium at the Marriott (formerly Adam's Mark) Hotel in Jacksonville, Florida.

Back to top
Back to Parachutist Index