Policies and Rules

Skydive Virginia is pretty relaxed and fair-minded, but we have to have rules to help ensure that people don't get hurt, to lubricate dropzone operations and to keep social conflict to a minimum. Here are some of those rules. This is not all-inclusive and is meant only as a sanity check. Use common sense when applying all rules no matter what you're doing!

General Policies - If you come out and sit with your skydiving buddies, please be advised that there are some simple safety policies that you should adhere to. Keep in mind, that these apply whether or not you're a skydiver, a non-skydiver, or somebody in between.

1. Observers are safer not going near the taxiways and are required to stay off of the top of the hill separating our safe-area and the normal aircraft operations.
2. Smoking is extremely damaging to parachuting equipment; we ask that you refrain smoking inside or near the hangars, or where ash could drift onto parachuting equipment.
3. Refrain from drinking anything that even looks alcoholic during normal skydiving activities. This includes skydivers who are done jumping for the day and any guests that may have come just to watch.
4. When eating/drinking try and keep yourself clear of the operations area inside of the hangars. The safest best way to do this is to keep yourself outside. Skydive Virginia! is providing picnic tables for this purpose.
5. PARKING - Park only in the designated areas. Parking or driving on the taxiway is forbidden except for designated vehicles. Do not park on any of the aircraft surfaces including the area between hangars. Our neighbors do not like it and it makes for bad relations. Even staff are asked to park in the designated area only.
6. CLEAN UP UP AFTER YOURSELF - Please be neat and courteous to the other jumpers. clean up after yourself and throw away all your trash, don't track mud in through our little home, etc.

General Skydiving Policies - Any skydiver, student or otherwise should take note of the following policies with regards to skydiving at Skydive Virginia! The management wants to let anyone skydive, but in a very few number of cases will reserve the right to ask a jumper to go somewhere else. Be aware, that this is not normal operating conditions, but only invoked under extreme duress.

1. GUEST JUMPERS - If you wish to jump at Skydive Virginia! you must follow the following requests:
   1. Waiver on file - You file a waiver when you arrive at the dropzone, but you must not jump or approach any aircraft until you have done this important step.
   2. Equipment check - Must be safe and in good working order.
   3. The reserve must be in date and verifiable (the packing card had better match the seal--We will check). We have called riggers at their home dz to verify seals. This is no laughing matter.
   4. Familiarization with the aircraft. If you have any questions, don't be a hero, ask about exit and/or emergency procedures with regards to the specific aircraft you'll be using.
   5. Familiarization with the facilities. Talk to an Instructor about the area, the outs bad places to be, etc.
2. You are required to have and use a properly functioning automatic activation device (AAD).
3. All approaches to all aircraft will always be from the rear. In any case, it certaintly wouldn't hurt to make sure that the pilot sees you approach and move around the aircraft.

Student Skydiver Policies

1. Students must wear hard hats
2. All student operations adhere to the USPA Basic Safety Regulations (See your USPA SIM for more information).

Experienced Skydiver Policies

1. Observe left hand patterns when applicable. If you do not know what a left hand pattern feel free to ask. It only makes sense to become knowledgeable about these things when your safety is concerned.
2. If you do not have consistent canopy landing accuracy and the wind is favoring a north/south direction, it is safer to land on the south side of the runway.
3. You must have a waiver on file before getting in the aircraft or landing at the dropzone. In other words, if you jump into the Skydive Virginia! Dropzone using the aircraft of another center, you must have our waiver on file.
4. You must have your gear checked out by a Skydive Virginia! official before being able to use it at Skydive Virginia!
5. Intentional low pulls are not bright and will not be tolerated.

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