Everyone has a story about what they were doing in early 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began to strangle what we considered normal. Many lost their jobs, their homes or both. For some, it was an opportunity to rediscover their path in life or rekindle their love for the outdoors.

The last two years have been a real test for most skydiving drop zone operators. Depending on where they were located and their approach to the issues at hand, some DZs barely skipped a beat, others experienced short shutdowns and some endured long closures. Sadly, a number of DZs found themselves closing their doors for good. In early 2020, USPA Headquarters anticipated a rough ride for the organization. Our staff worked from home for a period of time. We reduced discretionary spending and did our best to face the unknowns that lay ahead. We saw membership reduce. Many instructors and other ratings holders didn’t renew, and we saw the number of new instructors falling.

Without a crystal ball, we had no idea how long the slowdown would last. We communicated with our counterparts at other national skydiving organizations around the world to see how they were doing. While we didn’t see a pretty picture here, many other countries looked worse off than us. Some saw government-mandated lockdowns and forced business closures. Some associations that derive a significant portion of their membership revenues from student or first-time-jumper memberships found themselves in a very difficult situation when student and tandem operations came to a screeching halt. Many of them are still working to recover.

Shortly before the pandemic began, in August 2019, we reached an all-time high of 41,271 individual members. By February 2021, we had reduced to 36,291 individuals. The good news is that at the end of March, we rebounded to a new high of 41,405. Just as importantly, the number of new and renewing instructors is also reaching all-time highs! We hear that many DZs are looking for qualified staff to begin what they anticipate being a busy 2022 summer season ahead.

The future is bright. And as we step into what is likely to be the busiest skydiving season in recorded history, our diligence and dedication to make it the safest one ever will require the devotion of all 41,405 members … 100% of us.  Whether you are renewing your membership for the 50th year or it’s your first year of membership, know that your involvement and participation in safety-related initiatives at your DZ are essential. Have an amazing season (and don’t forget to practice your emergency procedures)!