A Safety and Training Advisor (S&TA) is an important link in the chain of safety and communication between USPA, the FAA, and the local skydiving community. Skydivers have been fortunate that the FAA has generally allowed us to remain self regulated while other airspace users have faced tough standards and cumbersome federal rulemaking. The FAA recognizes the value of USPA voluntary controls and standards, and USPA relies on S&TA's to help maintain those standards. An S&TA is generally a senior skydiver with solid knowledge of FAA and USPA rules, regulations, and policies, as well as a wide variety of skydiving experiences. An S&TA is a volunteer appointed by the USPA Regional Director for a specific dropzone or area, and is responsible for general skydiving safety, as well as the administration of USPA programs within that designated area. An S&TA is a good source of information about skydiving safety and related programs, and will generally work closely with USPA and dropzone management in support of jumpers interests.
At The Ranch Tom Buchanan, Kamuran Bayrasli (Sonic), and Joe Richards serve as our S&TA's. Tom and Kamuran are independant of DZ management. Joe Richards is the owner and manager of our school program, and a part owner of the aircraft and property holding companies.
Perhaps the most important role of an S&TA is the support of safety at the local level. Many dropzones have a strict package of rules, and the S&TA serves as the primary enforcement officer. S&TA's who are focused on enforcement tend to rule a DZ with the fear of penalties such as fining jumpers for violations, or grounding jumpers entirely. The result is a dropzone that is held pretty tightly in check, but the local jumpers tend to see safety as strictly a function of the enforcement threat, and not a desirable goal by itself.
Most of us recognize that The Ranch has a long history of being somewhat resistant to rules, and our members tend to discount "enforcement" programs. That could make the job of an S&TA a bit challenging, but most of us also understand the core need for safety, and we work together to keep each other alive. In general we pretty much agree on what is safe and unsafe. When one of our members pushes safety limits the rest of us can use collective peer pressure to hold him in check. In a sense, we don't have one or two S&TA's, we have hundreds. That's really cool. We should all be proud of that success, and continue extending the effort.
Some key things worth watching out for include:
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New jumpers with limited experience exceeding wind guidelines. |
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Jumpers planning a skydive without regard to wind or turbulence that we may have experienced or witnessed on a previous jump. |
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Jumpers flying in large or small groups beyond their specific ability and experience. This can include RW, CRW, and vRW flyers. |
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Skydivers progressing to small canopies, or doing radical parachute maneuvers close to the ground, too early in their careers. |
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Jumpers ignoring or unaware of exit separation requirements, given specific daily local conditions. |
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Canopy pilots ignoring landing pattern or direction, or doing radical maneuvers in a crowded traffic pattern. |
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Jumpers opening their parachutes below USPA recommended guideline altitudes as listed in the Basic Safety Requirements. |
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Skydivers performing unusual or experimental jumps without seeking guidance from more experienced jumpers. |
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Jumpers using outdated, inappropriate, or illegal equipment. |
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Instructors exposing their students to excessive risk, or jumping without due regard for student safety. |
When a problem is identified it's great for an experienced jumper to offer friendly advice. Generally, inexperienced skydivers are anxious for guidance and will appreciate discussion of safety issues. Ideally, a problem should be addressed quickly and in a supportive manner. When that isn't working, or when it seems impractical to discuss an issue with another jumper directly, the problem should be brought to an S&TA. Our primary concern must always be based on maintaining safety with minimal restrictions. Of course when necessary a jumper can be grounded or otherwise restricted and penalized, but at The Ranch that is a rarely used option.
It's also worth seeking an S&TA when a you identify a problem that could effect more than just a couple of people, or when an identified problem requires a more sweeping solution. When I started jumping at The Ranch our DZ was a small operation with only one rule: THERE ARE NO RULES! As the DZ grew we added a few simple guidelines as requested by active jumpers. If you feel there is a need for a more formal rule, or stricter enforcement of an existing rule, an S&TA is the best place to express your concern. Existing policies can be easily changed if enough jumpers express the same concern.
Sometimes a jumper feels the need to address a DZ problem with management, but wants to do so anonymously. While an anonymous report isn't ideal, Tom or Kamuran will usually listen to your concern and then take it to DZ management as your surrogate.
If a jumper would rather not discuss a safety issue with an S&TA, it can be brought directly to USPA. The elected Regional Director covering The Ranch is Mike Perry, and he can be reached by phone at 443-994-1978. The Director of Safety and Training for USPA, a paid professional position, is Jum Crouch. He can be reached through the USPA office at 703-836-3495.
When I look at the safety record of The Ranch I'm sometimes impressed, and sometimes not impressed. Our system of mutual support usually works. Other DZ's with a heavy enforcement hand don't always match our record of safety, given the huge number of jumps we do each season. By working together and using appropriate peer pressure and role modeling, we can keep regulation to a minimum, and maintain a relatively safe skydiving environment. The key is for all of us to take responsibility and speak up when we identify safety hazards.
S&TA's are also responsible for administering USPA programs at the local level. When a jumper has a question about USPA policies, an S&TA will usually have a good answer, or know where to get the answer. An S&TA is also responsible for providing support with the following specific USPA programs:
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License Verification: Jumpers can have A, B, and C license applications signed by any instructor or S&TA, but a D license requires an S&TA signature. |
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Rating Certification: Most USPA instructional rating programs require a candidate to obtain training prior to attending a rating course. An S&TA can provide an overview of the requirements, and help obtain the necessary training. |
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Pro Ratings: Many exhibition jumps require the jumper to hold a USPA Professional Exhibition rating. An S&TA can verify the qualification jumps and assist with the needed training. |
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Demo Jumps: Skydives away from a designated dropzone require the approval of an S&TA. The process is pretty simple, and the S&TA can also help coordinate the jump with the FAA. |
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Night Jumps: The Ranch has several night jumping programs planned each season, and these jumps require an S&TA to consult and assist with coordination. |
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Water Jumps: Intentional water landings are fun, but they require the advance approval of an S&TA. The process is simple, and an S&TA can talk with you about procedures and special equipment requirements. |
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Special or Unique Jumps: If you are planning a weird skydive, a BASE jump, Skysurfing or Wing Suit jump, or doing something you have not attempted before, an S&TA can often provide guidance based on his own experience, or he may be able to offer an alternate source of information. |
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Award Certificates: USPA issues awards for every 1,000 documented jumps (Gold Wings), and for every 12 hours of documented freefall (Gold Freefall Badge). An S&TA can assist with securing these awards. |
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Accident Investigation: An S&TA is expected to investigate all major accidents on the DZ and file a report with USPA. Most of us are familiar with the fatality reports in Parachutist, but an S&TA can also file Incident Reports when a problem has been identified, even if there was no injury or fatality. If you are aware of a safety issue that may be of interest to the entire skydiving industry, an S&TA will be happy to assist you in filing the appropriate reports. |
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General Safety Programs: An S&TA is the primary contact for dropzone training programs such as the annual Safety Day event. |