Half-braked canopy flight is a useful and life-saving skill, but recent incident reports (including the non-fatal incident reports in this issue of Parachutist) show that it is highly underutilized.

Instructors have been performing a lot of currency training lately and overall have been doing a great job. However, our recent incident reports show that one area of emergency-procedure training could use more emphasis: low-altitude emergencies under canopy.

Now that many drop zones have re-opened, most with face-mask requirements in place to help control the spread of the coronavirus, lens fogging has become a common issue.

Reports in this column have been compiled by the USPA Safety & Training Department from information received from the field and are the most accurate reports possible through such input. They are printed in Parachutist for their educational value.

Ben Renze (green shoes) celebrates his 100th jump with a hybrid skydive at Chicagoland Skydiving Center in Rochelle, Illinois.

On August 14, the Women’s Skydiving Network launched the Project 19 skydiving app to provide educational tools and resources to those training for large head-down formations, particularly the Project 19 women’s head-down record.

Nineteen jumpers do one last jump with their friend, Ray Capa, C-17275, releasing his ashes over the skies of Chicagoland Skydiving Center in Rochelle, Illinois.

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced closure of the many DZs located at the Aeroporto de Boituva in Brazil, approximately 50 parachute packers found themselves out of work.

Claude Gillard, an inductee to the International Skydiving Hall of Fame in 2012, passed away in his native Australia on August 3 at age 92.

Will Kitto, D-33634, is a highly accomplished skydiver in two diverse disciplines: canopy formation (aka canopy relative work or CRW) and wingsuit flying.

My adventures in skydiving began in 1968 while visiting my aunt and uncle, Pat and Ches Judy. On the mantel was a photo of Uncle Ches, D-1281, skydiving. Unknown to me at that time, that photo would dictate my life.

After my fourth jump at the North Pole in 1997 (I made six in all), I decided I really needed to collect the complete set and make a jump at the South Pole.

Parachutes are beginning to disappear … or, more accurately, the word “parachute” is beginning to fade from use to describe our sport, replaced by the word “skydiving”. 

Photo by Thomas Grana | D-34640

At the Highlight Skydiving Team’s training camp at Meadow Peak Skydiving in Marion, Montana, to prepare for countrywide demos commemorating the anniversary of the 19th amendment (which gave women the right to vote), Keri Bell swoops by her teammates during a photo shoot coordinated by photographer David Wybenga.

As of the September 15, 2020, deadline, 10 USPA members will appear on the ballot in the upcoming special election to fill the remainder of National Director Albert Berchtold’s term on the USPA Board of Directors following his resignation to serve as USPA Executive Director. The election begins November 2.

The USPA Board of Directors held its fourth meeting of the 2019-2021 term in Nashville, Tennessee, September 18-20. For the first time, the board meeting was broadcast live via Zoom Webinar for any USPA members to observe.

USPA’s board of directors is holding its next meeting September 18-20 in Nashville, Tennessee, and we are excited to announce that it will now be broadcast Webinar style via Zoom.

PIA released Service Bulletin PSB-10092020 affecting after-market tandem main risers constructed with obsolete RW2 rings. All sport tandem main risers produced with RW2 rings, or equivalent sized rings, are affected regardless of the hardware manufacturer, the date of manufacture, the material type or the forging process used. This PSB does not affect "solo" main risers that use RW2 rings. Compliance is MANDATORY – REPLACE BEFORE THE NEXT JUMP.