About Government Relations

Oversight of skydiving involves multiple entities, most notably including the USPA, and the FAA.

The mission of the Federal Aviation Administration is to provide the safest, most efficient aviation system in the world. They regulate aspects of skydiving and rely on the self-regulation of the participants through the guidelines and recommendations published by USPA. The FAA's main responsibility is to provide for the safety of air traffic, as well as persons and property on the ground. The FAA does this by certificating pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers and parachute riggers and by requiring approval data for aircraft and parachutes. The agency has the authority to impose fines and suspend or revoke certificates it has issued. In the case of a skydiving violation, the FAA can fine the pilot, rigger, jumpers, as well as suspend or revoke the certificates of pilots and riggers.

The FAA and USPA rely on self-regulation from within the skydiving community for most training and operational requirements.

Government Relations

The Government Relations Department at USPA Headquarters addresses member and group member questions regarding aircraft, airport access, the FAA, legislative issues, TSA, or security issues.

(540) 604-9740 ext. 3320
govrelations@uspa.org

View FARs in the online SIM

USPA In Action

One-third of USPA's mission directly involves Government Relations, namely to ensure skydiving’s rightful place on airports and in the airspace system, which includes protecting the sport and the industry. Often, USPA In Action involves prevention of harmful action. Here is a sample of the wins USPA has for skydiving!

USPA Call to Action: Oppose ATC Privatization

Friday, June 23, 2017

This week the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released the draft of an FAA reauthorization bill, the 21st Century AIRR Act, that would remove air traffic control from the FAA and create a new private, non-profit corporation to run the nation's air traffic control system. The bill gives the privatized ATC corporation authority to enact new user fees to be paid by system users. While the bill also exempts general aviation operators from paying a user fee for air traffic control services, there is no guarantee that a future Congress or administration wouldn't remove that exemption. (The companion Senate bill proposes neither ATC privatization or aviation user fees.)

All general aviation associations oppose both the concept of ATC privatization and of user fees. USPA has joined these groups in fighting both concepts. Now we need your help. Please take action now to ensure that Congress rejects both the ATC privatization and the user fee idea. Talking points for your email or phone call are available in the form of a model letter. If you are a DZO or DZ staff, you can add concerns about how a privatized ATC would negatively affect your business activity.

On the House of Representatives website, enter your zip code to be directed to your one Representative's contact information. Once there, you can provide information about yourself and state that you are opposed to a privatized ATC. Ask your representative to reject the idea of privatizing ATC, and to leave ATC within the FAA as a governmental function.

Or you can use this link--govtrack.us/congress/members--to find your Representative and their phone number; you'll speak with their legislative aid. Let them know you are in the Representative's district, and that you are opposed to ATC privatization as proposed in the House's 21st Century AIRR Act.

USPA Joins GA Groups Opposed to ATC Privatization ATC Vote is Delayed