Congratulations are in order for everyone involved in the use of online voting in the recent board election. Adoption and implementation of the new system was a long time coming, primarily due to the need to change USPA’s by-laws to accommodate online voting. Thinking that most of our members readily embrace innovation and new technology, we anticipated an increase in voting participation. Actually, the number of ballots cast was nearly double from previous years, which means that member involvement in the selection of the board has never been higher. All of us on the 2011-2012 USPA Board of Directors appreciate that involvement and look forward to working hard at rewarding it with the leadership you all expect and deserve. more »

by Matt Feeser | USPA #213775 | York, Pennsylvania

My journey into the sport of skydiving was a little different than most. Like many people, skydiving was something I always said that I wanted to do, but it seemed to be something I just kept talking about rather than doing. Although for me, skydiving is a bit more difficult than for most people. more »

Kamuran “Sonic” Bayrasli, D-21394, started skydiving in 1992 after watching ESPN coverage of the then-current world record 200-way formation. He is now a USPA AFF and Tandem Instructor, PRO-rating holder and Safety & Training Advisor. Bayrasli is also active in swoop competitions and aerial photography and videography. In addition, he’s an FAA Master Rigger who owns The Ranch PROShop, the gear store and rigging loft at Skydive The Ranch in Gardiner, New York; and Ulster County Containers & Canopies (UC3), a BASE-gear company that sells gear approved by the FAA for skydiving. more »

Age is just a number until put into context (ask any of the members of Skydivers Over Sixty). Organizations age too, and this year on July 10, USPA turns 65. That was the date in 1946 that the National Parachute Jumpers-Rigger, Inc., was incorporated in New York (though the organization had already existed for a number of years as the unincorporated National Parachute Jumper’s Association). By 1957, when the organization became the Parachute Club of America (PCA), there were 354 members, which quickly grew to 6,658 by 1962. By 1968, when PCA changed its name again—this time to the United States Parachute Association—membership was at 9,950. Today membership stands at 33,050, and no, we’re not contemplating a name change. more »