The action calls worked and it now appears that the needed FAA funding bill will pass without changes to the structure of air traffic control. “Once again, we thank our members who made the calls in defense of skydiving’s airspace needs,” said USPA Executive Director Ed Scott.

This proposal would pull ATC out of the FAA and move it to the U.S. Department of Transportation, where a new Management Advisory Council, populated with airline interests, would serve as the ATC board of directors.

The USPA Board of Directors met in San Antonio, Texas, March 2-4 for its winter board meeting.

Late Tuesday night, the chairman of the House Transportation Committee announced that he was dropping his push to privatize air traffic control. Opposition by general aviation users, including members of USPA, prevented the idea from getting any traction within Congress.

The 2017 USPA National Collegiate Parachuting Championships wrapped up Tuesday, January 2, at the Florida Skydiving Center in Lake Wales. The competition, the longest-running collegiate event in history, drew 82 college skydivers from across the U.S. As always, The U.S. Military Academy and U.S. Air Force Academy were well represented, as were the U.S. Naval Academy and University of Connecticut. Students also competed from Fort Lewis College, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Kansas State University, Northeastern University, University of Georgia and University of Massachusetts Amherst. Despite some clouds and rain, jumpers completed at least the minimum number of required rounds in all events.