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In 1950, Jacques-Andre Istel, a French-American, went to France and took up skydiving. He brought it back to America and began popularizing the sport. He and his students took over a moribund organization, the National Parachute Jumpers and Riggers Association and re-named it the Parachute Club of America (now named the US Parachute Association.) In the late '50s, we petitioned the Federation Aeronautic Internationale to be recognized as the authority for sport parachuting in America.
They couldn't refuse us, of course, but the French decided to be snotty. National sport parachute associations grant sporting licenses, A through G, with G being the highest. The French proposed that since the Americans are beginners, we should be granted authority to issue licenses only up through D. Just like the Three xxxxxxx on this board, they were trying to get a rise out of us. They failed.
We had read the rule book -- national authorities have the power to require HIGHER standards for licenses than the FAI requires. The FAI required 100 free fall jumps for the G license. We set 200 as the requirement for the American D.
Thereafter, when Americans attended international parachute meets, we got respect.
The Three xxxxxxx get their jollies by getting a rise out of you. Don't fall into their trap.
They couldn't refuse us, of course, but the French decided to be snotty. National sport parachute associations grant sporting licenses, A through G, with G being the highest. The French proposed that since the Americans are beginners, we should be granted authority to issue licenses only up through D. Just like the Three xxxxxxx on this board, they were trying to get a rise out of us. They failed.
We had read the rule book -- national authorities have the power to require HIGHER standards for licenses than the FAI requires. The FAI required 100 free fall jumps for the G license. We set 200 as the requirement for the American D.
Thereafter, when Americans attended international parachute meets, we got respect.
The Three xxxxxxx get their jollies by getting a rise out of you. Don't fall into their trap.
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