Thank you for being a member and supporting USPA’s programs and services. One of your many member benefits is this monthly “USPA Update,” a free e-newsletter designed to keep you informed of what’s going on in between your issues of Parachutist. If you’d like this to be sent to a different e-mail address, please change your contact information on file at USPA. In addition to staying informed through Parachutist and this e-newsletter, we hope you stay in touch through one of our many social media networks: Facebook, Twitter
and MySpace.
Thirty-three Submit Intent to Run for USPA Board
June 1 was the deadline for USPA members to submit a letter of intent to run in the upcoming election for the USPA Board of Directors. The respondent was also required to declare whether he or she would run as a national director or a regional director. By the deadline, 33 members had submitted their intent to run. National and regional incumbents are identified by an asterisk “*”.
| NATIONAL |
REGIONAL |
| Name |
Name |
Region |
| Sherry Butcher* |
Gary Peek* |
Central |
| Thomas Deacon |
Randy Schroeder* |
Eastern |
| John DeSantis* |
Todd Spillers* |
Gulf |
| Kevin Gibson |
Donald Carrington |
Mid-Atlantic |
| John Goswitz |
Tony Thacker |
Mid-Atlantic |
| John (Jack) Guthrie |
Randy Allison* |
Mideastern |
| Larry Hill* |
Ray Lallo |
Mountain |
| Marty Jones |
Bill Wenger* |
Mountain |
| Abbie Mashaal |
Merriah Eakins |
North Central |
| Jan Meyer |
Marylou Laughlin* |
Northeast |
| Mike Mullins* |
Jessie Farrington* |
Northwest |
| Tom Noonan |
Craig Stapleton* |
Pacific |
| Jay Stokes* |
Scotty Burns |
Southeast |
| Kirk Verner* |
Jerry Whittredge |
Southeast |
| Richard Winstock |
Vic Johnson* |
Southern |
| B.J. Worth* |
Lee Schlichtemeier* |
Southwest |
| |
Scott Smith* |
Western |
Want Online Voting in the Next BOD Election?
USPA still needs at least 1,100 signed proxies before July 16 in order to change its by-laws to allow the use of an online voting process for electing its board of directors. If you have not yet done so, please download a proxy here, sign it and either mail it to 5401 Southpoint Centre Blvd., Fredericksburg, VA 22407; fax it to (540) 604-9741 or scan and e-mail it to uspa@uspa.org. Complete details about the proxy effort are here. Please act today!
FAA Changes Rule on Main Parachutes
On June 3, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a final rule amendment to Federal Aviation Regulations Part 65, which addresses certification of parachute riggers. The change to Section 65.111(b) removed the authority of a non-certificated person (including a rig owner or packer) to “maintain or alter” a main parachute when not under the supervision of a current parachute rigger.
A person may still pack a main parachute “when that person will be the next jumper to use the parachute” or in the case of packers, for instance, “when under the supervision of a current certificated parachute rigger.” The FAA says the amendment corrects an unintended change to the rule when it was last revised in 2001.
View the Part 65 Final Rule in the Federal Register.
Final Call for Membership Survey
If you haven’t already taken USPA’s membership survey, now’s your chance to provide your input and let USPA know how you feel about your association. The brief survey will take only a few minutes of your time and will help us better serve the membership in the future.
Canopy Piloting Rules Correction
For those interested in canopy piloting competition, there has been a slight edit necessary for the 2010 Skydiver's Competition Manual, appearing on USPA’s website here. In Section 3-1.8, “Rules Specific to the Accuracy Event,” zones 7 and 8 are minus zones, not plus zones as previously shown. Please take note and direct any questions to competition@uspa.org.
Needels to be Honored at USPA General Membership Meeting
 Chris Needels will receive USPA’s highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, at a special ceremony the evening of July 16 at the conclusion of the USPA General Membership meeting. The meeting, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nashua, New Hampshire.
As inscribed on the award, Needels is being honored “for almost a half-century of total commitment to USPA as a board member, officer, executive director and skydiving museum trustee, providing unparalleled leadership, vision and lasting stability.”
Membership Q & A
Question: Why hasn’t USPA issued my license (or rating)? The DZ said they faxed it two weeks ago.
Answer: All too often, we receive calls checking on licenses and ratings that DZs or course directors were supposed to forward to USPA. Sometimes these applications are not forwarded as quickly as the candidate would like. It is not necessary to have the DZ or course director forward applications—the applicant may fax, e-mail or mail a copy to USPA at any time.
Last Call for Calendar Photos
The deadline for submitting photographs for consideration for the 2011 USPA Skydive Calendar is July 15. High-resolution photos at least 5”x 7” at 400 ppi (2,000 x 2,800 pixels) may be submitted online or e-mailed to communications@uspa.org. Please indicate “calendar submission” on the subject line or description field.
USPA attempts to portray a wide variety of skydiving disciplines in the calendar, choosing photos based on uniqueness, composition and clarity. Submissions that depict BSR or FAR violations will not be considered. Photographers receive $150 for each selected photo.
Skydiving in the News
Check out a few of the recent cool news stories about skydiving:
A leap of faith
A flying leap above Mt. Everest
Smoke jumper: Stewart leaps from perfectly good airplane
NewsChannel 8's Courtney Robinson Goes Skydiving
Grandmothers go skydiving for Mother's Day
On the Job with Taft Skydiving Instructor
In July's Parachutist...
 The July issue of Parachutist went to press last week and should be hitting your mailbox in another week or so. This issue is packed with features, including the final part in the D.B. Cooper series, an article that examines the evolution of swoop canopies, the skydiving-related tattoo pictorial and an article highlighting the first inductees to the National Skydiving Museum’s Hall of Fame. Let us know what you think about this issue and others by e-mailing communications@uspa.org.
Please do not reply directly to this e-mail. Instead, send comments to communications@uspa.org
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