Urging Support for the Skydiving Museum

As trustees of the International Skydiving Museum & Hall of Fame, we would like to thank the members of the USPA Board of Directors for their vision in providing continuing support. While USPA and the Museum & Hall of Fame have different purposes, one place where their missions clearly align is in promoting skydiving.

It is hard to imagine a setting that will more effectively promote our sport than the Museum & Hall of Fame when it opens in north Orlando, Florida. Toward that end, every visitor who leaves as a future first-jump student is a success.

Visitors will be presented with four different types of virtual-reality skydiving experiences. They will be immersed in many of the sensations of jumping. They will be able to try on rigs similar to what they would use on a first jump. They will even be able to find on an interactive touch-screen map the drop zones in the area where they want to make their first jumps. When the visitor provides his or her email address, it will be immediately sent to the drop zones they select. To be clear, USPA Group Member drop zones will receive contact information from people who want to make a first jump, while they are at the museum.

Thousands of people will visit the Museum & Hall of Fame each year. Some of them will be inspired to make a first jump and some of those will continue and become members of USPA. Whether or not they become first-jump students, the museum will provide them with a completely new and profoundly positive perception of skydiving.

How much is all this costing USPA members? Less than 63 cents per member per year for six years. How is this possible? Because skydivers and associations all over the world are also providing the support that will make our sport’s museum possible.

Curt Curtis | D-1407 and USPA Lifetime Member
1977 U.S. National and World Parachuting Champion, former USPA President and Chairman of the Board, USPA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

Chris Needels | D-1765 and USPA Lifetime Member
USPA Executive Director Emeritus; Former commander, U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights; USPA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

Lee Schlichtemeier | D-16256
Former USPA Regional Director and Treasurer, international skydiving judge, USPA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient

Adam Schmucker | D-31724
SSK Industries President

Curt Bachman | D-18700 and USPA Lifetime Member
Para-Gear Equipment Co. President

Dana Engelstad | D-3613 and USPA Lifetime Member
1976 World Champion U.S. Men’s Accuracy Team member; team leader, 2016 U.S. Freefall Style and Accuracy Landing Team; head of delegation, U.S Freefall Style and Accuracy Landing Team, 2018 Féderátion Aéronautique Internationale World Championships

Mike Horan | D-881 and USPA Lifetime Member
USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Achievement recipient, former USPA Regional Director and Archivist

Kirk Knight | D-6709
Former commander, U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, USPA AFF Instructor Examiner, Special Operations Command Para-Commandos member

Marylou Laughlin | D-12418 and USPA Lifetime Member
Former USPA Regional Director, former International Parachuting Commission U.S. Delegate and Vice President, Féderátion Aéronautique Internationale Leonardo da Vinci Diploma recipient

Linda Miller | D-3150
1974 U.S. Freefall Style and Accuracy Landing Team member

Roberto Montañez | C-41870 and USPA Lifetime Member
Butler Parachute Systems Group Vice President and General Manager, Parachute Industry Association President

Gillian Rayner
International Parachuting Commission President, former Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Executive Director, French Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals for Sport recipient

Sandy Reid | C-6557
Rigging Innovations President and CEO, “Parachute Rigger Handbook” author

Pat Thomas | USPA #273081
Sun Path Products President, USPA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Parachute Industry Association Symposium Chair

Bruce Wicks | D-3493
Former commander, U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights; team leader, 1988 and 1992 U.S. Parachute Team; USPA Instructor Examiner

Graeme Windsor | Australia Parachute Federation F-59
Former International Parachuting Commission President, FAI President of Honor, APF Master of Sport Parachuting recipient