The United States Parachute Association (USPA) is a private
sports governing body
A sports governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function.
Sports governing bodies come in various forms and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule i ...
for the sport of
skydiving
Parachuting, including also skydiving, is a method of transiting from a high point in the Atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere to the surface of Earth with the aid of gravity, involving the control of speed during the descent using a parachut ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
. Its headquarters are located in
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,982. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg w ...
. The USPA's roots go back to the National Parachute Riggers-Jumpers, Inc., which was formed in the 1930s.
Functions
USPA performs the following functions:
* Issues sport skydiving licenses
* Publishes and maintains skydiving training manuals and course guidelines from which instructional ratings are issued
* Serves as legal advocate and political lobbyist for skydiving
* Provides third-party insurance for skydivers
* Maintains the Basic Safety Requirements (BSRs) as a set of voluntarily followed safety guidelines
* Coordinates skydiving competitions and awards
* Issues awards for longevity, skill and achievement
* Publishes ''Parachutist'', a monthly magazine for members
In November 2020, USPA announced their plans for a
National Skydiving Museum
The International Skydiving Museum & Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation governed by a board of trustees. Equipment and documents are being collected, inventoried, and preserved. Funds are being raised to build the museum in Cent ...
to be built in Central Florida, but didn't specify a timeframe for completion.
See also
*
Canadian Sport Parachuting Association
The Canadian Sport Parachuting Association (CSPA), through affiliation with the Aero Club of Canada (ACC), is Canada's representative to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) and the International Parachuting Commission (IPC). ...
*
Parachute Industry Association
*
Skydiving regulation in the United States
In the United States, skydiving is a self-regulated sport, which means skydivers, in the US, voluntarily follow a set of basic safety requirements established by the U.S. Parachute Association. Federal requirements can be found in the Federal Avia ...
References
External links
*
''Parachutist''—USPA's member magazine
Non-profit organizations based in Fredericksburg, Virginia
Parachute Association
Parachuting organizations
Parachute Association
Sports organizations established in 1946
Sports in Northern Virginia
1946 establishments in New York (state)
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