Getting to Zero Isn’t Impossible, We Just Haven’t Done It Yet

By Ron Bell

Features
Monday, April 1, 2019

Though our fatality numbers are at an all-time low, there is never an acceptable number of injuries or deaths. Look at it in the family context: What number of people in your family would it be OK to lose in a skydiving accident? That answer is clearly zero. However, as improbable as it may seem to get the fatality count down to zero, we have already succeeded in two of our deadliest categories: canopy collisions and high-performance landings. There were zero fatalities in these categories in 2018.

Prioritizing safety by adopting an academic approach and creating a positive safety culture has been USPA’s goal since its inception in 1954. Led by a board of directors who seemingly work only six days a year at their bi-annual meetings but actually work endlessly behind the scenes in committees and task forces, USPA tackles some of the most significant issues that face the skydiving community.

The drums started sounding years ago on canopy education. In 2005, the board made a significant change to the Skydiver’s Information Manual by adding Section 6-11, Advanced Canopy Piloting. In 2007, the Group Membership Committee amended the Group Member Pledge to include a pledge to separate high-performance landings and standard landings. In 2010, the Safety and Training Committee started an initiative that culminated in the implementation of the B-License Canopy Card in 2012. The board implemented all these changes to target landing fatalities.

Socio-cultural change takes approximately 10 years from implementation of education and regulation. So, what has the beating of these drums accomplished for skydivers after 10-plus years? A quick look at the fatality statistics tells the story. The average number of annual fatalities due to canopy-related incidents from 1999 through 2011 was 12.5. After 10 years of education and the introduction of the canopy proficiency card in 2012, the yearly average dropped to 7.5. That is an average of 5 jumpers per year over the last 7 years—a total of 35 jumpers—who are still alive due to these efforts. And a crowning achievement of this war path is the zero fatalities in canopy collisions and high-performance landings in 2018.

Ron Bell | D-26863
USPA Director of Safety and Training