Skydiving Soars into 2008, Sets 45-Year Safety Record

Skydiving has become one of the most popular adrenaline sports in the nation and thanks to the U.S. Parachute Association's high standards of saftey, there was a record low number of accidents.

FREDERICKSBURG, VA (January 7, 2008) – Things are looking up for the skydiving industry.

According to the U.S. Parachute Association (USPA), America’s premier skydiving association, 2007 will make history as the year skydiving took a dramatic turn upward as one of the most popular adrenaline sports in the nation.

USPA reports that 2007 was one of the safest on record with only 18 skydiver fatalities – out of over 2.5 million jumps. That number surpasses a 1962 record for skydiving’s fewest accidents.

Considering that in the early 1960s the USPA was only about 10 percent of its current size with just 3,353 members and the aggregate number of jumps was considerably less than today’s two million plus jumps, this record stands out even more as a testament to years of strict safety standards, training policies and programs.

“This has been a group effort,” said Ed Scott, Executive director of USPA. “USPA policies have been applied by every skydiver in the nation, as well as coaches, instructors, safety and training advisors, drop zone owners, riggers, pilots, manufacturers and gear distributors. We should all take pride in the strides we have made in skydiving safety the past half a century.”

And the good news doesn’t end there. Significantly more people are taking up the sport in the new millennium.

USPA membership soared in 2007, with a significant number of new skydivers joining its ranks. USPA ended 2007 with more members (31,264) than the previous year for the first time since 2002. The total number of new members in 2007 was 4,900, reversing a five-year downward trend; it’s also the highest number of new members since 2003.

The skydiving industry also saw an unprecedented upturn in 2007. By the numbers:

• The number of A licenses issued in 2007 (2,019) was higher
than last year and ends a six-year decline.
• More B licenses (1,182) were issued in 2007 than anytime
since 1997.
• The number of C licenses (627) and D licenses (465) issued
in 2007 was higher that any year since 2004.
• There were more USPA Tandem Instructor ratings (203)
than in either 2005 or 2006.
• USPA issued more AFF (accelerated freefall) Instructor
ratings (662) in 2007 than anytime since 1997.
• In 2007 USPA issued the most Coach ratings (662) since the
program began in 2001.

USPA’s comprehensive 2007 Skydiving Review with additional skydiving stats and demographic details will be released in early spring.

About USPA
USPA is America’s premier organization dedicated to the promotion of safe skydiving nationwide, establishing strict safety standards, training policies and programs at over 200 affiliated skydiving schools/centers. The Federal Aviation Administration recognizes and supports USPA's successful leadership role in the self-regulation of skydiving.

USPA hosts the National Skydiving Championships, the sport’s largest and most exciting annual competition, on October 18-25, 2008 at Skydive Arizona.

For more information call 1-800-371-USPA or visit www.USPA.org.


For more information contact Robert Arends of United States Parachute Association (http://www.USPA.org)
619-295-7140

Keywords: skydiving, extreme sports, safety

You can read this press release online at: http://www.free-press-release-center.info/pr00000000000000010086.html