Contents:
A. Applicability
B. Compliance with Federal regulations
C. Medical requirements
D. Age requirements
E. Student skydivers
F. Winds
G. Minimum opening altitudes
H. Drop zone requirements
I. Pre-jump requirements
J. Extraordinary skydives
K. Parachute equipment
L. Special altitude equipment and supplementary oxygen
Note: Each paragraph in the BSRs has a marginal notation of S, E, FB, or NW, which identifies its waiverability as indicated in Section 2-2.
A. Applicability [NW]
1. These procedures apply to all jumps except those made under military orders and those made because of in-flight emergencies.Voluntary compliance with these procedures will protect the best interests of both the participants and the general public.
2. A "skydive" is defined as the descent of a person to the surface from an aircraft in flight when he or she uses or intends to use a parachute during all or part of that descent.
3. All persons participating in skydiving should be familiar with the Skydiver's Information Manual and all federal, state, and local regulationsand rules pertaining to skydiving.
B. Compliance with Federal regulations [NW]
1. No skydive may be made in violation of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.
2. FAA regulations include the use of restraint systems in the aircraftby all skydivers during movement on the surface, takeoff, and landing.[FAR 91.107]
C. Medical requirements [NW]
1. All persons engaging in skydiving must:
a. Posses at least a current FAA Third-Class Medical Certificate; or
b. Carry a certificate of physical fitness for skydiving from a registered physician; or
c. Have completed the USPA recommended medical statement.
2. Any skydiver acting as parachutist in command on a tandem jump must possess a current Third Class Medical Certificate or equivalent medical certificate acceptable to USPA, or, if residing outside the United States or its territories or possessions, a current Aviation Medical Certificate recognized by the Civil Aviation Authority of the residence country.
D. Age requirements
1. Skydivers are to be at least either:
a. 18 years of age [FB]
b. 16 years of age with notarized parental or guardian consent [FB]
E. Student skydivers
Note: All references to USPA instructional rating holders apply to higher rating holders in that training discipline.
1. General [E]
a. All student training programs must be conducted under the direction and oversight of an appropriately rated USPA Instructor until the student is issued a USPA A license.
b. A person conducting, training, or supervising student jumps musthold a USPA instructional rating according to the requirements that follow.
2. First-jump course [E]
a. All first-jump non-method-specific training mustbe conducted by a USPA Instructor or a USPA Coach under the supervision of a USPA Instructor.
b. All method-specific training must be conducted by a USPA Instructor rated in the method for which the student isbeing trained.
3. All students must receive training in the following areas, sufficient to jump safely [E]:
a. equipment
b. aircraft and exit procedures
c. freefall procedures (except IAD and static-line jumps)
d. deployment procedures and parachute emergencies
e. canopy flight procedures
f. landing procedures and emergencies
4. Advancement criteria
a. IAD and static-line [E]
(1) All jumps must be conducted by a USPA Instructor in that student's training method.
(2) Before being cleared for freefall, all students must perform three successive jumps with practice deployments while demonstrating the ability to maintain stability and control from exit to opening.
(3) All students must be under the direct supervision of an appropriately rated instructor until completing one successful clear-and-pull.
(4) Following a successful clear-and-pull, each student must be supervised in the aircraft and in freefall by a USPA Coach or Instructor until demonstrating stability and heading control prior to and within five seconds after initiating two intentional disorienting maneuvers involving a back-to-earth presentation.
(5) All ground training must be conducted by an instructor in that student’s training method, until demonstrating stability and heading control prior to and within five seconds after initiating two intentional disorienting maneuvers involving a back-to-earth presentation.
b. Harness-hold program [NW]
(1) All students must jump with two USPA AFF rating holders until demonstrating the ability to reliably deploy in the belly-to-earth orientation at the correct altitude without assistance.
(2) All students must jump with one USPA AFF rating holder, exit safely, maintain stability, and deploy at the planned altitude without assistance prior to attempting disorienting maneuvers.
(3) All students must jump under the direct supervision of an appropriately rated USPA Instructor until demonstrating stability and heading control prior to and within five seconds after initiating two intentional disorienting maneuvers involving a back-to-earth presentation.
c. Tandem training jumps [E]
(1) Any USPA member conducting a tandem jump must hold a current USPA Tandem Instructor rating and a manufacturer’s type rating.
(2) For progressive training requirements following tandem jumps, refer to "Crossover training."
(3) Intentional back-to-earth or vertical orientations that cause tandem freefall speeds exceeding that of droguefall are prohibited.
(4) Tandem equipment instruction must be conducted by an individual approved by the tandem equipment manufacturer of that system.
5. Crossover training [E]
a. Students may transfer after the first or subsequent jumps to another training method after demonstrating sufficient knowledge and skill in the areas of equipment, aircraft, exits, freefall maneuvers,deployment, emergency procedures, canopy control, and rules and recommendations to enter into that program at a comparable level of proficiency and training.
b. Students previously trained in a tandem program may continue ina harness-hold program or must demonstrate a solo exit and practice deployment with stability in the IAD or static-line program prior to advancing to freefall.
c. Students previously trained in a harness-hold program must have exited stable without assistance or performed a stable IAD or static-line jump with a practice deployment supervised by a USPA IAD or Static-Line Instructor prior to performing freefall jumps with any non-AFF-rated USPA Instructor.
6. Students training for group freefall [S]
a. Student freefall training for group freefall jumps must be conducted by either:
1. Student freefall training for group freefall jumps must be conducted by either A USPA Coach under the supervision of a USPA Instructor or;
2. USPA D license holders provided there is a minimum ratio of one D license holder to one student with a maximum of a 4-way.
7. Instruction of foreign students [E]
a. Foreign non-resident instructional rating holders appropriately and currently rated by their national aero club may train students from that nation in the U.S., provided the instruction is conducted in accordance with the USPA Basic Safety Requirements.
b. Appropriately and currently rated USPA instructional rating holders may assist in this training.
8. No skydiver will simultaneously perform the duties of a USPA instructional rating holder and pilot-in-command of an aircraft in flight. [NW]
9. All student jumps, including tandems, must be completed between official sunrise and sunset. [NW]
F. Winds [S]
Maximum ground winds
1. For all solo students
a. 14 mph for ram-air canopies
b. 10 mph for round reserves
2. For licensed skydivers are unlimited
G. Minimum opening altitudes [E]
Minimum container opening altitudes above the ground for skydivers are:
1. Tandem jumps—4,500 feet AGL
2. All students and A-license holders—3,000 feet AGL
3. B-license holders—2,500 feet AGL
4. C- and D-license holders—2,000 feet AGL
H. Drop zone requirements
1. Areas used for skydiving should be unobstructed, with the following minimum radial distances to the nearest hazard: [S]
a. solo students and A-license holders—100 meters
b. B- and C-license holders and all tandem skydives—50 meters
c. D-license holders—12 meters
2. Hazards are defined as telephone and power lines, towers, buildings, open bodies of water, highways, automobiles, and clusters of trees covering more than 3,000 square meters. [NW]
3. Manned ground-to-air communications (e.g., radios, panels, smoke, lights) are to be present on the drop zone during skydiving operations.[NW]
I. Pre-jump requirements [NW]
The appropriate altitude and surface winds are to be determined prior to conducting any skydive.
J. Extraordinary skydives
1. Night, water, and demonstration jumps are to be performed only with the advice of the local USPA S&TA, Instructor Examiner, or Regional Director. [NW]
2. Pre-planned breakaway jumps are to be made by only class C- and D-licenseholders using FAA TSO'ed equipment. [E]
3. Demonstration jumps into Level 2 areas require a D license with a USPA PRO Rating for all jumpers, including both tandem jump participants.[E]
4. Contact canopy formation activity is prohibited on tandem jumps.[E]
5. Tandem jumps into stadiums are prohibited.[E]
6. Any person performing a wingsuit jump must have at least 200 skydives, and hold a current USPA license.[E]
K. Parachute equipment
1. FAA regulations [FAR 105.19] require that when performing night jumps, each skydiver must display a light that is visible for at least three statute miles from the time the jumper is under an open parachute until landing. [NW]
2. All students are to be equipped with the following equipment until they have obtained a USPA A license:
a. a rigid helmet (except tandem students) [NW]
b. a piggyback harness and container system that includes a single-pointriser release and a reserve static line, except: [FB]
(1) A student who has been cleared for freefall self-supervision may jump without a reserve static line upon endorsement from his or her supervising instructor.
(2) Such endorsement may be for one jump or a series of jumps.
c. a visually accessible altimeter (except tandem students) [NW]
d. a functional automatic activation device that meets the manufacturer'srecommended service schedule [FB]
e. a ram-air main canopy suitable for student use [FB]
f. a steerable reserve canopy appropriate to the student's weight[FB]
g. for freefall, a ripcord-activated, spring-loaded, pilot-chute-equipped main parachute or a bottom-of-container (BOC) throw-out pilot chute [FB]
3. Students must receive additional ground instruction in emergency procedures and deployment-specific information before jumping any unfamiliar system. [NW]
4. For each harness-hold jump, each AFF rating holder supervising thejump must be equipped with a visually accessible altimeter. [NW]
5. All skydivers wearing a round main or reserve canopy and all solo students must wear flotation gear when the intended exit, opening, or landing point is within one mile of an open body of water (an open body of water is defined as one in which a skydiver could drown). [S]
L. Special altitude equipment and supplementary oxygen
Supplementary oxygen available on the aircraft is mandatory on skydives made from higher than 15,000 feet (MSL). [NW]