Since 1961, British Skydiving has been at the heart of skydiving in the UK.  For over six decades, starting as British Parachute Association (BPA) limited, we have dedicated ourselves as a not-for-profit organisation to the governance, maintenance of the highest safety standards and advancement of Skydiving across the UK.

Driven by and for our members, we are proud to put the community and safety of Skydivers first in every decision we make. We love Skydiving and supporting our members on their journey to Instructors and through a range of events such as our Annual Members Meeting (AGM) & SkyDive The Expo, funding national teams and individuals who meet World Championship standards and the British Skydiving UK Skydiving League (UKSL) to name a few.

Our vision is that through the collective power and inspiration of our members, partners, staff and supporters, we can grow the sport of skydiving, extending its reach, accessibility and positive visibility. Learn more about our Structure in our Articles of Association.

British Skydiving is governed by an Elected Council, who are nominated and voted on by the members, and serve as Directors of BPA Ltd.  Our council represents the majority of UK Skydivers, as most are active British Skydiving members. Learn more about our current elected directors and Council & Committees.

British Skydiving is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and member protection, through the Principles of Good Governance for Sport and Reaction Principles of Good Governance for Sport and Reaction. In 2017, we strengthened our Governance by appointing two independent directors form outside the sport for the first time, to adhere to good governance standards.

Careful analyses of accidents and injuries over time have enabled British Skydiving to build up detailed knowledge of the risks in the sport. As risks are identified and assessed, measures to manage and control the risks are implemented. These control measures are set out in our Operations Manual.

Inclusive governance, well-monitored safeguarding, and fair treatment of members is central to British Skydiving’s advancement.

Did you know, that until 1984, skydiving from any aircraft in flight (except for emergencies) was illegal in the UK. This was until the introduction of the1983 Second amendment Air Navigation order, which came into effect from 31^st January 1984, allowing parachuting activity with written permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Today, British Skydiving controls all aspects of skydiving on behalf of the CAA.  1996, saw our first production of the Skydiving manual, that covered aircraft and operational safety procedures, which we have continued to update to meet The Exposition and Schedule of CAA Approval. Learn more about our Safety Manuals.

British Skydiving has taken some significant steps as part of an ambition to establish itself as a future-facing governing body. This has included formulating our Strategic Plan for 2023-27, building our inclusivity strategies by signing up to Charter Membership with Sporting Equals and continuing our good governance journey by commissioning an independent Board review.

We are committed to excellence in all levels of skydiving from Rookie to World-Class Competitor and building our member knowledge to improve performance and enjoyment of skydiving.

Our interactions with the Skydiving Community and wider public are characterised by our core values of respect, integrity and trust. We aim to treat all people and issues with fairness and equality at all times.

We value honest and open lines of communication to better understand our members and stakeholders. Agendas and minutes of British Skydiving Council and Committee meetings, once approved and ratified, are published regularly. Our belief is that everything we do must be of the highest standard and reflect out ambitions as the leaders of Skydiving in the UK.

Want to learn more about our aims? Explore About British Skydiving or our Year Review.

British Skydiving is a thriving community. We have around 6,400 full members and around 60,000 students each year with 28 Parachute Training Organisations (PTOs) affiliated to British Skydiving (Categories of Membership).

When you become a Full British Skydiving Member, you are eligible to vote at general meetings like the AGM, elect British Skydiving Council Members and appoint independent directors based on recommendations made by the Nominations Committee of Council. Interested in joining? Register here.

Another name for a PTO is a Drop Zone. We have 23 Drop Zone locations and counting across the UK, use our Drop Zone Locator tool to find your nearest one.

British Skydiving is proudly funded primarily through membership subscriptions.

These contributions allow us to maintain high standards of safety, training, and governance across the sport. We also invest in member development through our Development Events Scheme, support competition entry fees for teams and individuals striving for excellence and administer key initiatives such as the British Team Fund and the Drop Zone Defence Fund.