Proposed USHPA Tandem Rule Changes

The tandem committee at the 2012 Spring USHPA board meeting will be considering some changes to tandem regulations at their upcoming meeting. Some pilots are concerned about a few of the changes, including one that would prohibit BASE-style skydive jumps from tandems at non-USHPA sites. There is already a rule prohibiting this at USHPA sites, but this new rule would go even further. Steve Roti, an Oregon instructor and tandem pilot, and a longtime USHPA volunteer, has started a petition to show that many pilots don't think it's necessary to have the rule applied to non-USHPA sites.

Steve makes the following points in support of signing the petition:

1. There's no evidence skydiving/jumping from tandems is any riskier than traditional tandem flights.
2. There haven't been any reported accidents or insurance claims as a result of jumping from tandems.
3. Our sport is constantly evolving, and it's better for our national association to be inclusive rather than excluding newer forms of paragliding-related activities.

The petition doesn't refer to this activity as BASE jumping from tandems, because it doesn't meet the formal definition of BASE. It could be argued that jumping from tandems is less risky than BASE jumping because there's no building or cliff to get in the way if the parachute opens in the wrong direction.

Jon Malmberg, another Oregon instructor and tandem pilot, who many of us know from his time in Hawaii, adds the following details in support of the petition:

Presently there is a push within USHPA to revisit the following tandem issues … Steve Roti has helped to put together a petition to at least block item 5. Item 4 is also something that a lot of you tandem pilots should also be aware of.

Tandem Committee
1. Review action/AIMS items from previous BOD (all completed)
2. Review current list of Administrators for currency (keep/delete as needed)
3. Discuss new recommendations for new Tandem Administrator candidates. (none to date)
4. Develop SOP(s) prohibiting tandem Aerobatics.
5. Revisit rule for “not dropping people” and discuss making it a blanket rule.
6. Discuss other ways to minimize liability/exposure regarding Tandem flying.
7. Discuss tandem accidents (none to date).

Please sign if this is something important to you. Or sign if you view this as an encroachment on our ability to fly freely at non-USHPA sites. In my mind along with point 4, it appears that USHPA is looking to over regulate our tandem flying abilities to deal with the present insurance problems. Please note item seven. Yes, zero tandem incidents to date. [since the last board meeting?].

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