Skydiving seems to be loosely controlled in India, although guidelines to undertake this high-adrenalin activity have been put in place by the Aero Club of India (ACI).
“The guidelines were issued by the club last year. But they are not rules or regulations, and violations will not attract penalty or fine,” a former senior official of the club, told The Hindu .
Formed in 1927, the ACI, a member of Federation Aeronautique Internationale, is responsible for promoting aero sports.
The ex-official pointed out that many clubs claim to follow the guidelines of the United States Parachute Association, but argued that the safety requirements in India are different, mostly based on the parameters followed by the armed forces here.
Activation deviceSkydiving gear comprises a parachute, reserve parachute, harness and automatic activation device, he explained. “If for some reason the diver is unable to open the parachute, this device automatically opens the parachute, thus reducing the chances of a fatal accident,” he said, expressing shock over the Salem incident where a Bangalore-based woman died on Thursday after both parachute and reserve parachute did not open.
Besides, accidents can occur if the parachute is not packed properly, he added.
Armed force personnelThe manner in which trainers are accredited is also questionable. “In most cases, we do not know if the person indeed went to the United States to get trained and certified or if somebody from abroad came here to sign the certificate,” he said.
It is also learnt that a number of skydiving clubs in the country depend on ex-servicemen, who are trained in Paratroopers Training School, Agra, which has shot into fame with its Akash Ganga paratroopers. “However, these ex-servicemen are trained to be skydivers, not skydiving instructors,” said the expert.
“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation or the Ministry of Sports should look into the matter and come up with stringent regulations for the sport,” he added.
