Having spent the weeks of January closing the books on 2012, here are some metrics from USPA’s various departments and programs. We ended December with 34,800 members, down only 28 from November, when we set a membership record of 34,828. (The previous high of 34,322 was in August 2001, just before a six-year decline.) Membership grew in 10 of the months of 2012, setting a growth rate of 3.95 percent. We brought in 6,763 new members, the most since 2001, and issued 6,524 licenses, up from 5,944 the previous year. The number of A licenses also increased, from 2,477 in 2011 to 3,420 in 2012, and ratings increased from 1,669 to 1,954. more »
Ori Kuper is an Israeli citizen who works at Skydive Spaceland in Rosharon, Texas. He’s a talented photographer and videographer who has covered several USPA Nationals, record jumps and other events. Parachutist frequently showcases his work, and his photos have appeared on the cover, as well as in the annual USPA Skydive Calendar. Along with his photographic talent, Kuper is an instructor, a canopy piloting and formation skydiving judge, a freeflyer, a swooper and recipient of the Chesley H. Judy Safety Award. 
Alexandra Iancu, C-38564, is a jumper from Romania who makes her living flying camera at Skydive Nuggets in Leutkirch, Germany. During the German off-season, she travels to Spain and other warm climates to continue her passion for human flight. Iancu was recently on the 28-way German head-down record and has set her sights on participating in other record-setting formations around the world. 