ABOUT MY "PRO" RATING As many of you know, I was featured in an article in "Skydiving" in Oct 2000 about getting a "PRO" Rating through the FAA instead of the USPA. As a member of the USPA pretty much since 1978, I've felt that for the most part it was a very good organization. We've had our differences but who doesnt? However, about 2 years ago I called "Safety and Training" at USPA to inquire as to why a certain paragraph was removed from the SIMs. It was the paragraph that told you to see the FAA for permission to jump into areas where normally a USPA license would be required IF you didnt belong to USPA And that the FAA could ask to see a demonstration of your skills to make their decision. Here is the part of the FAA Advisory Circular dated 1/2/91 and found at www.faa.gov/avr/AFS/ac105-2c.txt (section d) " If the applicant is unable to present sastifactory evidence that he/she has the experience, skill, and knowledge required for USPA/DOD credentials, the FAA inspector may require a demonstration of comparable skill before issuing the authorization." Note the use of the word "may". That doesnt mean he HAS to. i.e. If for instance he is already aware of your skill level, he's not required to force you to make a demonstration jump. On the other hand, few officers would sign off on a "Pro" rating without being absolutely positive of your skill level. Anyway, what I got from a certain head of USPA safety was a snotty reply as to why it had been removed and how I'd never be able to do Demos without the USPAs blessing. He went on to tell me how the USPA had the FAA in their back pocket as far as ratings and the ability to do demos. He told me that I would be completely wasting my time to approach the FAA for approval, and that my demo days were over without USPA..... "We are God now" was his implication while snickering the whole time. THATS what pissed me off... now it was personal. So the rest as they say is history, and page 12 of Octobers "Skydiving" gives a good account of what transpired next. (although a misunderstanding led to a 20 foot landing area that was really only 3 foot) Anyway, point is that I still think the USPA is a great organization, but like all entities that get a little too big for their britches, needs a reality check now and then. And if it ever comes to pass that my government can force me to belong to a private organization in order to meet any regulation set forth by my government I'll move to Russia. |
So I decided to give the FAA inspector a real life situation
My Landing Area For "Pro" Rating
Note: I could have chosen the runway, but that would
have been
too easy and not always a "real world" situation......
.......
X marks the spot where I decided to land, just to make it harder.
Keep in mind that this area is all hills and valleys with
lots of swirling winds and obstacles, as most of WV is...
The point is that the PRO rating was being handed out willy-nilly just like the D-Rating was. People who couldnt land on a football field were receiving the PRO Rating by their buddies. And as far as I was concerned, it was just another way for the USPA to make money... yearly. I didnt appreciate 30 years of skilled skydiving to come to a halt just because the USPA suddenly decided that I wasnt good enough UNLESS I handed them money each year. So I became the first skydiver to ever receive his PRO Rating through the government. |
