CSPA Require TSO?

[Blink 1]

Not sure if this should be posted here, or in Gear and Rigging but if it's wrong, I'm sure it'll get moved.

Can anyone confirm that you don't need TSO'd gear if you're a Canadian citizen jumping in Canada?

Thanks!

[Andrewwhyte 1]

That is affirmative.
Neither CSPA nor Transport Canada require skydiving equipment to meet any given standards.

[pchapman 279]

No TSO required.

While less and less of such gear is around, it has allowed companies over the years to produce equipment in the Canadian market, like Niagara, Westway, ParaFab, Dionne, Parachutes Canada/Canadian Aerosports, and Flying High. Not all are still around. A couple companies did get TSOs on their later rigs, like Westway and Flying High. The lack of TSO requirement also allows for more freedom to modify gear.


EXCEPTION in CAR 623.38:
For demos requiring a demo rating. (That's the ones "over or into a built-up area or an open-air assembly of persons.")

For those one needs TSO'd gear. But nobody checks, and few are likely to know the rule anyway.

Unless I'm missing something, lack of a TSO requirement, or any gear rules from the government (as opposed to the CSPA) would allow one to conduct jumps with BASE rigs etc as long as it is outside of CSPA operations.

[Blink 1]

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Unless I'm missing something, lack of a TSO requirement, or any gear rules from the government (as opposed to the CSPA) would allow one to conduct jumps with BASE rigs etc as long as it is outside of CSPA operations.

Shh, last thing we need is anothe "BASE from Aircraft" thread.

Thank though. The reason I was asking was because I ran into a website last night of a Russian gear manufacturer, Atmosphere. http://www.atmogear.com/

Look like great rigs at great prices, although they don't have a TSO, but I emailed them and he told me they are awaiting the JTSO (German TSO?).

[mircan 0]

Good luck with them (Atmogear). Although they make good quality products, I am still waiting for my H/C which I ordered back in march...
Now I know they had some personel/business issues this year and that they relocated(?), and I got backup rig to jump from my dealer, and I ordered full custom, but I don`t know for how long more could I wait.
Still Parachutes de France has longer wait period.

dudeist skydiver #42

[riggerrob 643]

While Transport Canada and CSPA may not LEGALLY require TSOed gear in Canada, the fashion changed a long time ago.

Nowadays, most Canadian skydivers buy TSOed gear manufactured in Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, the UK, South Africa or the USA ... primarily the last two countries.
European-made gear is usually only worn by tourists or recent immigrants.

Buying TSOed gear eliminates a whole bunch of hassles related to skydiving vacations in the USA. Buying popular TSOed gear also ensures that you will be able to find spare parts and a rigger willing to pack it.

[Blink 1]

Is it not true that USPA allows foreighners to jump gear that is within the regulations of their association?

Is it also no true to keep that TSO rating, whenever you change out parts, they must be from the manufacturer, whether it be nothing but a cut-away handle, or a reserve freebag?

Would that not then equalize the availibility of parts?

[riggerrob 643]

"

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Is it not true that ..." that you use the same archaic, convoluted, double-negative sentences structure that my ex-' likes to use in court, that bugs the @#$%^! off me!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, but I am not British and double-negatives only leave me confused.
GRRRRRR!

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[riggerrob 643]

First of all, USPA has very little say in what types of parachutes are jumped in the USA.

That is a Federal Air Regulation administered by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAR states anyone jumping out of an American-registered airplane, must wear an FAA TSOed parachute and must have it inspected on a regular basis by an FAA-licensed parachute rigger.

Starting twenty-ish years ago, the FAA yielded to pressure from some drop zone owners in Florida and started issuing "foreign gear" waivers to a few Florida DZs.
This was mainly to allow European skydivers to buy jump tickets in Florida.
The practice of issuing "foreign gear" waivers eventually became so wide-spread that the FAA eventually issued a blanket "foreign gear" waiver to all American DZs.
The waiver allowed foreign-born residents of other nations to jump non-TSOed parachutes from American-registered airplanes in the USA. ... but .... they were not allowed to loan their parachutes to American skydivers.
IOW, the fatality rate was so low - with foreign gear - that it never was a safety issue.

Since the end of the Cold War, most parachute producing nations (Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, New Zealand, South Africa) have adopted (photo-copied versions) of American TSOs.
Now that non-TSOed gear is getting rarer and rarer every year, there is less and less non-TSOed gear jumped in the USA every year. So the problem is rapidly fading.

[Blink 1]

Alright, thanks for the information Rob, I did not know about the evolution of the "foreign gear" waivers, just the general idea.

P.S. Sorry about the double negatives, I have terrible grammar.