Welcome to the BPA

BPA Membership Renewal - 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011

Full Members: to renew for the BPA Membership year 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011, please click here for the Members page to download a renewal form.

BPA on Facebook

9 Mar - New!   Click here for the BPA page on Facebook.  We'd love you to become a fan to share all the latest news.

RAeC Awards evening - London: Tuesday 27 April

10 Mar - The 2010 Royal Aero Club Awards ceremony will be held at the RAF Museum, Hendon, on Tuesday 27 April at 1830 (museum open until 1800).  The awards will be presented by HRH The Duke of York. 

Freefly Team Volare - Mike Carpenter, Adam Mattacola and Alberto Fuertes - will receive the Royal Aero Club Gold Medal in recognition of their victory in both the World and European Freeflying Skydiving Championships.  Other BPA Members due to receive awards are 22 times National Champion Chris Lynch - RAeC Bronze Medal, and Rigger for 38 years Ian 'Wobby' Robertson - RAeC Certificate of Merit. 

Tickets, which cost £35 each or £60 for two members of the same family, are available from the Royal Aero Club, www.royalaeroclub.org  telephone 0116 244 0182.

Take the BPA online survey 2010 - you might win a camera!

12 Feb - Want to win this superb Olympus 850 SW Camera?  Just click on link to complete the BPA 2010 online survey (10 minutes).  Your answers will remain anonymous. 

To enter the free prize draw having completed the survey, simply fill in your BPA membership number and details.  Your personal details will be used only to enter you in prize draw for the camera.  The draw will take place at the April Council meeting and the winner will be announced next day here on the BPA website.  This fabulous prize is kindly sponsored by Archant Dialogue, the new advertising sales company for Skydive the Mag.

Video of Review of 2009 & Awards presentations

8 Feb updated 9 Feb - Click for video of (a) John Smyth's BPA Chairman's Review of 2009 and (b) BPA Awards Presentation Ceremony. 

Both were recorded at the BPA AGM at the Blackpool Hilton on Saturday 16 January 2010.  Thanks to Craig Poxon, BPA Development Chairman, for uploading the videos to the web.

Skydiver of the Year - Alistair Hodgson

28 Jan - Alistair Hodgson has won the BPA Taz Causer UK Skydiver of the Year Award 2009.  It was presented at the BPA AGM in in January 2010.  Alistair is a highly skilled camera flyer, freeflyer, freefly coach and organiser. What a fantastic year 2009 was for him. 

He and his team Airkix Freestlyle won the British Nationals in Freestyle for the second year running.  They went on to 5th place at the World Cup and 4th in the European Championships. He was one of 14 who set a new British Head Down Freefly Record. He gave his time to coach on BPA Freefly Roadshows. He helped to organise and participated in numerous skydiving events in the UK and internationally.  

Alistair has become an incredible role model and ambassador for our sport. As a Patron of the Preston Disability Information Services Centre (now Disability Equality NW), he inspires people with physical disabilities.  More than that, he inspires us all.

� See press coverage: 1 2 3 4.

AGM Day presentations online

20 Jan - Craig Poxon, BPA Development Chair, recorded some of the BPA AGM Day sessions at the Blackpool Hilton on Saturday 16 January, and has streamed  them online.  Links below.   The BPA Chairman's Review of the Year is not yet included because of network problems during the recording.  We hope to add this later.

BPA Film Festival

Jump for the Cause Part 1

Jump for the Cause Part 2 (2 parts because laptop crashed in the middle so some missing in between)

Phobia – From Rookies to World Cup

Magazine open forum

Environmental impact of skydiving (integrated with slides)

BPA 2010

18 Jan - The BPA AGM was held in Blackpool on Saturday 16 January. 

Thank you to all the members who attended and contributed to making the AGM and associated events a success.  If you have any feedback, please share it with us at skydive@bpa.org.uk 

AGM Saturday 16 January 2010 at the Blackpool Hilton

8 Jan updated 14 Jan - Click here for the BPA AGM Day programme at the Blackpool Hilton FY1 2JQ - map. 

The BPA Film Festival at 1300 and an introductory talk on the sport at 1400 are open to the public.   Need a room in Blackpool?  www.visitblackpool.com   BPA Council 2010 election results - click here

December Council minutes

8 Jan updated 12 & 26 Jan - The minutes of the Council meeting on Tues 8 Dec have NOT been ratified electronically.  The wording of one item has yet to be settled. 

The minutes will therefore be considered in the traditional manner, around the table, at the first ordinary meeting of Council 2010 on Tuesday 23 February at 1830 at the BPA Office in Glen Parva, Leicester LE2 9TF.   Minutes of Committee meetings held on the same day have been ratified electronically.  See the minutes page.

BPA Film Festival Finalists announced

B'pool Hilton full on Sat 16 Jan - Dinner tickets and other B'pool accommodation remain available

Blackpool Hilton - Last call for overnight accommodation!

27 Nov - The Blackpool Hilton says there aren't many rooms left for Saturday night 16 January.  They have sold 15 rooms this morning alone! 

So, if you need a bedroom there on AGM night, please book now - quote 'BPA rate', telephone 01253 627977 and ask for Stephanie Hill or see the dinner booking form.

Council 2010 election timetable

27 Nov - There are 16 nominees for 15 seats on Council 2010, so an election is being held. Ballot packs will start to arrive by post to voting members in the week beginning Monday 7 December. 

The pack contains information on candidates, a voting form and a prepaid return envelope.  The voting form gives a password and PIN to vote online, with the URL of the online voting site of Howsons Electoral Services, the independent election administrators and scrutineers.  Note that the site is an https site, not the more usual http – the URL needs to be entered correctly.  Members are encouraged to vote online as this saves the BPA the cost of return postage.  Alternatively, the paper voting form can be used and returned by post. 

Votes must be received by the scrutineers by midnight on Monday 11 January.  The election result will be posted here on the BPA website on Tuesday 12 January and formally announced at the AGM at the Blackpool Hilton on Saturday 16 January.  UK-based voting members whose pack has not arrived by Wednesday 16 December, or overseas by Monday 21 December, should report this by e-mail the BPA Office.

AGM Day - Blackpool Hilton: Saturday 16 January 2010

18 Nov - Click here for the members' homepage for news of the BPA AGM Day in Blackpool on Saturday 16 January.  

The Blackpool Hilton advise that the town will be busy that weekend - it's the Homing Pigeon Show at the Winter Gardens - and there may be pressure on bedroom availability, particularly on Saturday.  At the time of posting this message - 18 Nov - there is still room availability, so if you're planning to stay over, please book now with the Hotel (see below) to avoid disappointment. 

The BPA rate for bed and breakfast is:  £89 per double or twin room per night, £59 per person per night single occupancy.  Please book direct with the hotel, quoting BPA rate, telephone 01253 627977 and ask for Stephanie Hill, Groups Manager, or see the dinner booking form for the hotel's e-mail address. Payment card details will be needed to guarantee the booking - the hotel will take payment on departure.   A limited number of rooms is available at the BPA rate. 

The Blackpool Hilton's website is www.hilton.co.uk/blackpool

For other accommodation options and local information, see the official Blackpool tourist website www.visitblackpool.com

Nominations invited for UK Skydiver of the Year 2009

22 Oct - The Taz Causer award is for an experienced UK skydiver (or team of skydivers) who have achieved something really special during 2009.  

Nominations by BPA Members should be made by e-mail to the BPA Office by no later than Monday 14 December 2009. The Council will select the winner from nominations received.  The award will be presented on AGM Day, Saturday 16 January 2010, at the Blackpool Hilton.

October Council minutes published

Council 2010 election

22 Oct updated 6 Nov - 16 nominations have been received for the 15 seats.  An election will therefore be held. 

The nominees, in alphabetical order, are:  Paul Applegate, Christopher Beattie, Adrian Bond, Kieran Brady, Richard Head, John Horne, Paul Ledden, Ian Marshall, Paul Moore, Kevin O’Connor, Craig Poxon, Steve Saunders, Andy Scott, John Smyth, Martin Soulsby and Weed Stoodley. 

The election will be independently administered with voting by post or online.  The timetable will be published on the BPA website in due course, and the results will be published a few days before the AGM.  Council 2010 will hold its inaugural meeting on AGM Day at the Blackpool Hilton - Saturday 16 January 2010.

New British Freeflying 14-way head-down record

5 Oct - A new British Freeflying head-down Record formation of 14 was set at Hibaldstow on 4 October 2009, beating the previous record of 11 set in June 2007. 

Congratulations to the record holders who are:  Will Blackie, Peter Brookes, James Davies, Darren Glover, Alistair Hodgson, Blake Hooper, David Joyner, Mark Joyner, Charlotte Kemp, Claudio Letteiri, Matt O'Riordan, Dan Parker, Martin Reynolds and Jason Southall with Chris Brook (camera).  Click on image to enlarge.

October issue of Skydive Mag

5 Oct - The October issue of Skydive Mag was mailed out on schedule on Tuesday 29 September, for delivery on or before Saturday 3 October by the usual postal services. 

However, we are aware that some regions of the country are experiencing postal delays due to industrial action, so your magazine's delivery may be later than anticipated.  We're sorry about this but are sure you'll appreciate that any delays in the postal system are beyond our control. 

Jump for the Cause 2009

24 Sep, updated 26 Oct  - The world's largest all-female Formation Skydiving Jump record attempt is taking place at Skydive Perris, California.  Of the 181 jumpers, from 31 countries, 30 are BPA Members.   Jump for the Cause (JFTC) is raising funds for breast cancer reserach.  Click here for the JFTC website. Good luck to all taking part.     

26 Sep, updated 14 , 20 & 26 Oct - They did it!  New women’s FS world record  They raised over $900,000 for breast cancer research, the most in the history of ‘Jump for the Cause’.   British skydivers who took part were: Becky Austin, Hannah Betts, Viki Bingham, Fiona Birnie, Martina Brant, Clare Butcher, Sarah Cannon, Sarah Churchill, Liz Danby, Cheryl Farnden-Marks, Lesley Gale, Louise Gower, Ruth Green, Jo Hawley, Celeste Hill, Caroline Hughes, Amanda Karlsson, Joana Lammens, Heather Little, Michelle Meakins, Jo Price, Ros Pulham, Audrey Rowe, Maria Russell, Vicky Scargill, Claire 'Sparky' Scott, Kate Stephens, Maxine Tate, Julie Woodrow, and Kris Young. 

There was a successful unofficial 122-way men's formation World Record running alongside JFTC. 

Royal Aero Club Trust Bursaries for young people

ESL Finals 2009 - Results

World Cup & European Champs photos

BingoLotto - We're in!

9 Sep - BingoLotto gamecards are now available at Tesco stores around Britain. Ticket sales will help to generate funds for sport and recreation - including skydiving - over the coming weeks and months.  This is through the good offices of CCPR, the umbrella body for sports organisations, who are running the benefit scheme to which the BPA has signed up. 

You can play BingoLotto and watch live on the Virgin 1 tv channel - available on Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky - on Sundays at 1900, hosted by Ulrika Jonsson.  Good luck!   

Update 6 Oct - We are sorry to report that we have been advised by CCPR that due to poor sales, BingoLotto gamecards will no longer be available to purchase and that the TV game has been suspended.

Stand for Council 2010

7 Sep - Click here for a nomination form to stand for election to BPA Council 2010.  Fifteen seats are available. 

If there are more than 15 nominees, an independently-administered election will be held.  Nominees require a proposer and seconder - all must be BPA members eligible to vote, see Fom 269 Categories of BPA Membership. 

Completed nomination forms need to be returned to the BPA Office by no later than noon on Thursday 22 October 2009.

GBR Team Volare take Gold in the Freefly World Cup

7 Sep - Congratulations to British Freefly team Volare - Adam Mattacola, Alberto Fuertes and Mike Carpenter (pictured) - who took Gold in Freefly in the 2009 World Cup & European Championships held in Prostejov, Czech Republic. 

Congratulations too to team Outbreak of Bad Lieutenants - James Davies, Jim Harris, Dan Parker, Matt O'Riordan and Martin Reynolds - who took Bronze in VFS; and to team Kaizen - Joanne Hawley, Ratul Ahmed, Liz Cass, Clara Melia and cameraman David Curtin - who took Bronze in women's 4-way FS in the European Championships. 

August Council minutes published

World Cup 2009 in FS & Artistics - Prostejov, Czech Republic

Annual Dinner tickets now on sale

2 Sep - Tickets for the BPA Annual Dinner at the Blackpool Hilton on the evening of AGM Day, Saturday 16 January 2010, are now available from the BPA Office at only £21 a head.  Click here for the menu and order form.  Please select your main course option at the time at time of booking.  Payment with order, please.  

AGM Day table-top exhibition - bookings are now being taken for this exhibition of kit and services for the enjoyment of skydiving in the UK.  To apply for a space subject to (i) availability and (ii) acceptance of your product/service as suitable for the exhibition, please e-mail the BPA Office with information on what you wish to exhibit/promote.

ESL Finals at Hibaldstow - Register now!

21 Aug - 4-way FS teams:  click here for the entry form to the European Skydiving League (ESL) Finals taking place at Target Skysports, Hibaldstow, from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September.  Classes are Rookie, A, AA and AAA. 

The first 10 teams to register with Hibaldstow will receive free UK delegation t-shirts!   Click here for more  from the ESL website. 

FS Nationals 2009 Results

UKSL 2009 final scores

Enter the BPA Film Festival!

4 Aug - The aim of the BPA Film Festival is to develop an exciting new event for the AGM in 2010. It's free-of-charge to enter. Entries must be received at the BPA Office by Monday 9 November 2009*.  Click here for the rules and entry form.  The final will be held on AGM Day at the Blackpool Hilton on Saturday 16 January 2010. 

* Update 2 Nov - In view of the postal strike, entries will be eligible if they are postmarked 9 Nov or earlier.

Freefall head-down world record set by team of 108 skydivers

4 Aug - On Saturday 1 August 2009, a team of skydivers jumping at Skydive Chicago in the USA has set a world record for the biggest ever formation of people in head-down freefall.   Click here for link to Channel 4 News for more. 

Congratulations to the 8 British skydivers in the 108:  BPA Members Dan Parker. James Davies, Martin Reynolds, Mark Joyner, Adam Mattacola, Mike Carpenter, Claudio Lettieri and Frazer Smith.

Target website for Hibaldstow Nationals

30 July - Target Skysports’ new Nationals website is up and running for the BPA British Open Nationals they will be hosting in Formation Skydiving (FS), Vertical Formation Skydiving (VFS),  Artistics, Speed Skydiving and Canopy Formation (CF). 

Entry forms, news, online scores (when available) and much more – it’s all there!  See also the BPA Nationals page for dates, venues and rules for all of this year's British Open Nationals.  Have fun!

BPA AGM: Blackpool Hilton, Saturday 16 January 2010

24 July updated 30 July - Bookings for overnight accommodation are now being taken by the Blackpool Hilton for the BPA AGM on Saturday 16 January 2010. 

The BPA rate for bed and breakfast is:  £89 per double or twin room per night, £59 per person per night single occupancy.  Please book direct with the hotel, quoting BPA rate, telephone 01253 627977 and ask for Stephanie Hill, Groups Manager, or click here for e-mail address. Payment card details will be needed to guarantee the booking - the hotel will take payment on departure.   A limited number of rooms is available at the BPA rate. 

The AGM agenda, Annual Dinner ticket order form and AGM Day programme will be published from autumn 2009.

British skydivers at World Games 2009

23 July updated 24 July - Congratulations to Freefly Team Volare - Adam Mattacola, Alberto Fuertes and Mike Carpenter (pictured. left to right) - and Canopy Piloting jumper Deane 'Smudge' Smith who took part in the World Games, an Olympic-test event in Chinese Taipei, from 16-26 July 2009. 

Volare won Bronze in Freefly, and Smudge came 8th in Canopy Piloting.  Well done to them all for flying the British flag at this invitation-only top-level showcase of world-class excellence  Click on thumbnail for larger image.  Click here for the World Games official website.  

UKSL 2009 season standings

BPA Membership grows

16 July - The figures for BPA Membership for the first quarter, 1 April to 30 June 2009 (first quarter figures for 2008 in brackets) with year-on-year variance are:  Student Provisional 15,162 (11,735) +29%; Temporary 145 (149) -3%; Full - Renewals 3,886 (3,789) +3%, Conversions 259 (200) +30%. 

Weather is always factor, sometimes a significant one, in year-on-year variance.  However, there appears to be an underlying trend of an increase in membership.

June Council minutes published

BPA Wing Suit Training Manual published

Sport England funding

April Council minutes published

14 May - Click here for the minutes page.

Membership renewal 2009-10

For membership renewal for the new BPA year from 1 April 2009, click here for a renewal form (Form 101) for existing Members.  Visit the Forms page for other BPA forms.  

Jump for Heroes

6 Mar - Arklay Purdie is cycling to five charity skydiving events across the UK this summer as part of a 1000 mile marathon bike ride from John o'Groats to Lands End. 

He hopes to raise £10,000 and awareness for Help for Heroes with his Jump for Heroes campaign.  His goal is to encourage others to take part in a skydiving event and do their bit for those who have done theirs.  The BPA wishes Arklay well.

Operations Manual now available in pdf

2 Mar - The latest (Feb 09) issue of the BPA Operations Manual is now available as a pdf of the complete manual, as well as Word documents of each section.  Click here to download.

AGM Blackpool 2010 - tell us what format you'd like!

20 Jan updated 6 Apr - Thanks to Members who have completed and returned the questionnaire on the format of the BPA AGM and Associated Events to be held at the Blackpool Hilton (pictured) on Saturday 16 January 2010.  

Your views will be taken into account in planning the event.  The survey return date has now passed.

BPA 2009

11 Jan -  The membership's elected BPA Council 2009 took office after the AGM on Saturday 10 January.  The Council then elected Officers as follows:  Chairman: John Smyth MVO;  Vice Chairman - John Horne;  Treasurer- Debbie Carter;  STC Chairman - John Hitchen;  Development Chairman - Craig Poxon;  Competitions Chairman - Andy Scott;  Communications Chairman - Martin Soulsby.  Council meeting dates for 2009 are, at the BPA Office in Leicester LE2 9TF at 1830:  Tues 17 Feb, Wed 22 Apr, Tues 23 Jun, Tues 18 Aug, Tues 13 Oct, Tues 8 Dec (after EGM).  

On subscriptions, the insurance element of the BPA membership subscription for the year from 1 April 2009 will be lower than in the current year 2008/9.  The AGM authorised the Council to finalise the arrangements for insurance without a further general meeting.  Once the cost of the insurance element is confirmed, it will allow Council to publish BPA subscription rates for the membership year beginning on 1 April 2009.  Watch this space in late January.  

The Chairman announced at the AGM that the Council has awarded Tony Knight the BPA Jim Crocker Trophy, in recognition of his Outstanding Contribution to Sport Parachuting. 

Storm go Gold

Team Storm lift the World Championship for 4-way women's Formation Skydiving in Maubeuge, France, on 14 August 2008. 

Pictured left to right are team members Hannah Betts, Claire 'Sparky' Scott, Kate Stephens, Sarah Smith, freefall videographer Gary 'Swoop' Wainwright, and coach Dan BC.  Photo courtesy of Stijn Janssens.

Message of congratulation to the team from John Smyth, BPA Chairman

British skydivers make history with live tv ad

British skydivers have made television history. The first ever live advertisement on British tv featured a live skydive in which the letters H-O-N-D-A were spelt out in formation. The ad ran on Channel 4 at 2010 on Thursday 29 May 2008.

Click here to see the ad on the Honda website. Its part of the campaign for the new Honda Accord, which has the theme 'Difficult is worth doing'

Airsports tv

airsports.tv is a new Internet TV channel featuring all the best action from the world of competitive air sports - including the official World Championships and World Cups.

It's the only site in the world which has exclusive access to the top events in air sports. airsports.tv is owned and operated out of London by Flying Aces Ltd who are the media partner of the FAI

Membership survey results

Click here for the results of the BPA's first online Membership Survey. Thanks to the 372 respondents.

The survey will help the Council and its Committees to plan for the sport. Members have said it's time to update the BPA website with a facility for online renewals. The Council plans to launch a new website later this year, and to phase in more online services including renewals in a four-stage programme.

Welcome to the new BPA website