Safety

Canopy landings and malfunctioning main parachutes were the two most common causes of the 19 skydiving deaths in the United States in 2012. However, there are lessons to be learned from every skydiving mishap. Sharing the circumstances in which these tragedies occurred helps the rest of us avoid these situations. This article will take a look at the year as a whole and try to identify the mistakes that skydivers in the U.S. made that resulted in death. more »

I t would be difficult to find a sport that has improved its safety record as dramatically as skydiving. Improvements in equipment and training have combined to dramatically reduce the fatality index rate from nearly six fatal accidents per 100,000 skydives in the early 1960s to 0.6 fatal accidents per 100,000 skydives in 2012. During that same timeframe, the number of skydives made increased 500 percent, from 600,000 per year in the early 1960s to 3 million per year in 2011. In approximately 50 years, the index rate for fatal skydiving accidents has improved by a factor of 10. more »

During USPA’s existence, the association has worked aggressively to heighten safety awareness among its membership through education and training. Today, new skydivers can become safer jumpers more quickly because of information put forth by USPA and the skydiving community. The year-end fatality report (written since 1983 by Paul Sitter) continues to show the sport’s improvement and, with its categorization of fatalities, helps instructors to target key safety areas on Safety Day and throughout the year. more »

Since skydiving first began as a sport, skydivers have wanted to capture its amazing visuals. Early pioneers used film-based still and movie cameras to let ground observers see what it’s like to jump out of an airplane and freefall over the landscape below. more »

When you look at skydiving mishaps over time—exactly what this article does each year—some recurring lessons stand out. For example, the AAD (automatic activation device) and RSL (reserve static line) are proven life-saving technologies. But what really has stood out for the last two decades is that canopy selection and canopy operation are the most serious issues for skydiver safety today. Once again, canopy issues contributed to the majority of skydiving deaths in 2011. more »

Two canopies out. more »

Safety & Training Advisors spend a considerable amount of time telling people they shouldn’t be loading their canopies so heavily. But 90 percent of the time, jumpers don’t listen. Skydivers can have a bit of an ego, and many simply hear, “I think you’re a crappy canopy pilot who can’t handle a smaller wing.” So they downsize anyway and break their legs, backs and pelvises with some regularity. more »