What a USPA Group Member is
The pledge and categories behind the Group Member label.
Our take written by Freefall Fanatics
USPA-affiliated drop zones in the U.S. are called Group Members and pledge to follow its Basic Safety Requirements, use current USPA instructors, provide USPA-required equipment, and follow USPA-developed instructional methods. Membership runs for 12 months and expires in March.
The pledge quoted below also covers pilots' certificates and landing procedures. USPA defines three membership categories, quoted below in full, and the locator lists 169 U.S. Group Members, 78 of them Training Centers.
Our summary of USPA's own pages quoted below.
Our count: 169 U.S. Group Members on the USPA locator, 78 of them Training Centers.
What a Group Member is
USPA-affiliated drop zones in the U.S. are known as "Group Members." Group Member drop zones pledge to comply with USPA Basic Safety Requirements, use current USPA instructors, provide USPA-required equipment and follow USPA-developed instructional methods.
USPA-affiliated drop zones in other countries are known as "International Affiliates." International Affiliate drop zones pledge to have at least one current USPA-rated instructor on staff.
An annual 12-month membership is available to skydiving centers, clubs, and schools with a mailing address within the United States. Memberships expire in March of every calendar year.
Categories
Category I: Skydiving operations that use military aircraft which fall under DOD regulations.
Category II: Skydiving operations that operate routinely with not more than two small aircraft, each with a maximum takeoff weight of less than 6,000 lbs; or professional skydiving and canopy schools that are located at and use aircraft of a current established USPA Group Member.
Category III: Skydiving operations that routinely use more than two small aircraft or one large aircraft, with a maximum takeoff weight of 6,000 lbs. or more; or wind tunnels.
From the Group Member Pledge
Comply with the USPA Basic Safety Requirements (BSRs), which include compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations relevant to skydiving operations,including aircraft operations.
Ensure that all pilots employed or utilized for the purpose of parachute operations hold at least a commercial pilot certificate and a second-class medical certificate.
Establish landing procedures that will include separation of high-performance and normal landing areas; such separation may be by location or time.
All students (except tandem students) who are not current regular or temporary members of USPA are not covered by USPA third party liability insurance, regardless of their training program status.