activities · 13
what they do
direct service · 6
- Administers awards and recognition programsAccepts nominations, reviews eligibility, and recommends recipients for industry awards, including the Don Beck Memorial Award, which recognizes enduring achievements in the field.
- Conducts marketing and promotional activities Local News & Investigative ReportingPromotes the organization and its events through advertising, merchandising, and special event promotion, including organizing a Riverboat Dinner Cruise for attendees during meetings, managed by the Marketing Committee.
- Manages membership and organizational governance Committee Management & Member EngagementProcesses membership applications, promotes membership growth, and presents applicants to the organization through the Membership Committee. Maintains governance through ad-hoc committees including the By-Laws Committee and the Dropzone Operator’s (DZO) Committee to address structural and operational needs.
- Organizes networking and social events for meeting attendeesFacilitates social engagement among members during official gatherings, such as organizing a Riverboat Dinner Cruise for attendees on August 21st.
- Presents industry recognition awards Professional and Organizational Achievement AwardsRecognizes long-standing achievements in the parachute industry through awards such as the Don Beck Memorial Award.
- Supports riggers and dropzone operators through specialized committees Parachute Safety & Regulatory Standards DevelopmentRepresents and serves the needs of parachute riggers by promoting and coordinating rigging-related programs through the Rigging Committee. Also supports commercial and non-profit dropzone operators via the ad-hoc Dropzone Operator’s (DZO) Committee.
advocacy · 2
- Advocates for regulatory changes in parachute industry policies Parachute Safety & Regulatory Standards DevelopmentEngages in advocacy by submitting joint petitions to federal agencies, such as the FAA, to modify rules affecting foreign skydivers using personal equipment in the United States.
- Advocates for the parachute industry with government agencies Parachute Safety & Regulatory Standards DevelopmentRepresents the parachute industry in interactions with government bodies such as the FAA, including submitting joint petitions to modify rules for foreign skydivers using personal equipment in the U.S. Facilitated by the Government Systems Committee.
research · 2
- Develops technical standards and specifications for parachutes Parachute Safety & Regulatory Standards DevelopmentReviews and develops non-government standards and specifications for parachutes and components through its Specifications Committee. Creates and maintains certification standards intended for adoption by global government bodies via the Parachute Certification Standards Committee.
- Produces technical safety documentation and investigations Parachute Safety & Regulatory Standards DevelopmentDrafts technical documents, recommended procedures, and safety bulletins for membership approval. Coordinates technical investigations with external groups and disseminates findings to the parachuting and aviation communities through the Technical Committee.
capacity building · 3
- Hosts regular meetings and symposia for industry membersOrganizes and hosts official gatherings for the parachute industry, including the annual PIA Symposium and regular meetings such as the 2025 First Regular Meeting in Portsmouth, VA, and the 2026 2nd regular meeting held August 20–22.
- Hosts regular meetings and symposia for the parachute industryOrganizes and runs biennial symposia and regular meetings for industry stakeholders, including the 2025 PIA Symposium at the Hilton Daytona and the 2025 First Regular Meeting in Portsmouth, VA. Coordinates logistics and locations through its Meeting Logistics Committee.
- Provides risk management and communication services to members Advisory Committee Governance SupportOffers members guidance and tools for managing liability and other risk-related issues through the Risk Management Committee. Consolidates and coordinates all organizational communication products, services, and tasks via the Communications Services Committee.
strategies · 12
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Convening members for coordination and knowledge exchange member_conveningBy hosting regular meetings and technical symposia, the organization fosters coordination, professional development, and information sharing across the parachute industry.
- Convening members for coordination and knowledge exchange member_conveningThe organization strengthens industry cohesion by hosting regular meetings and technical symposia that enable coordination, professional development, and information sharing among members.
- Enforcement of ethical and professional standards ethics-based membershipMaintaining industry integrity through mandatory adherence to organizational bylaws and a professional code of ethics as a condition of membership.
- Member-driven governance and ethics enforcement ethics-based_membershipThe organization enforces adherence to professional standards by requiring members to comply with bylaws and a code of ethics, ensuring accountability and integrity across the industry.
- Member-driven industry development projects member-driven industry supportThe organization initiates and supports technical, safety, and promotional projects that are driven by member needs and aimed at advancing the broader parachute industry.
- Member-driven industry support through technical and safety initiatives member-driven industry supportThe organization advances the parachute industry by pursuing technical, safety, and promotional projects that directly benefit members, grounded in a member-driven model that ensures relevance and impact.
- Member-sponsored membership model member_sponsorship_modelMembership applications require sponsorship from two existing Sustaining or Full Members, fostering accountability and peer-vetted integration into the professional community.
- Organizational infrastructure development organizational_developmentThe organization is planning a dedicated Headquarters facility through a formal committee, indicating a strategic focus on long-term institutional stability and operational capacity.
- Promotion of safety, quality, and accountability safety_and_accountability_promotionThe organization strengthens public trust and operational reliability by actively promoting safety, quality, and accountability standards across sport and military skydiving sectors.
- Promotion of safety, quality, and accountability in the industry safety_and_accountability_promotionThe organization advances safety and operational standards in the parachute industry through coordinated initiatives and advocacy, aiming to improve overall industry performance and public trust.
- Regulatory advocacy through technical leadership regulatory_advocacyThe organization influences regulatory outcomes by leveraging technical committee leadership to submit formal petitions for rule changes, ensuring industry-informed policies.
- Regulatory advocacy via technical committee leadership regulatory_advocacyThe organization influences regulatory outcomes by submitting rule change petitions led by technical committees, ensuring that industry expertise shapes policy and standards.
named programs · 1
what they call their work
PIA Members
A directory of member companies and individuals involved in the parachute industry, categorized by country.
relationships · 39
who they work with
- Aerostar International, Inc. Partner — Aerostar International, Inc. is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Airborne Systems Partner — Airborne Systems is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Australian Parachute Federation Partner — Member organization supporting parachuting activities in Australia
- Bae Systems Partner — Bae Systems is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Ballenger International LLC Partner — Chris Christenson, Chair of the Symposium Committee, is from Ballenger International LLC.
- Bally Ribbon Mills Partner — Bally Ribbon Mills is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Belton Industries Partner — Belton Industries is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Butler Parachute Systems Partner — Butler Parachute Systems is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Canadian Sport Parachuting Association Partner — Jointly submitted a petition to the FAA with PIA to modify rules for foreign skydivers.
- Capewell Aerial Systems Partner — Capewell Aerial Systems is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Complete Parachute Solutions Partner — T.K. Donle, Chair of the Technical Committee, is from Complete Parachute Solutions.
- Complete Parachute Solutions, Inc. Partner — Complete Parachute Solutions, Inc. is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- DJ Associates, Inc. Partner — Mike Beck, Chair of the Awards Committee, is from DJ Associates, Inc.
- DZONE® Franchising Corporation Partner — Abbie Mashaal, Chair of the Dropzone Operator’s (DZO) Committee, is from DZONE® Franchising Corporation.
- Ejj Publishing & Literary Services Partner — Ejj Publishing & Literary Services is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- FXC/Guardian Parachute Partner — FXC/Guardian Parachute is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Federal Aviation Administration Government — Regulatory body with which PIA submitted a petition for rule changes affecting foreign skydivers.
- HLC Industries, Inc. Partner — HLC Industries, Inc. is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Hilton Memphis Partner — Hosted the 2nd regular meeting in Memphis, TN.
- Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) Partner — Works together on industry standards and practices
- International Skydiving Instructors Association (ISIA) Partner — Collaborates on standards and training for skydiving instructors
- International Skydiving Museum And Hall Of Fame Partner — Supports the preservation and promotion of skydiving history
- Law Offices Of Robert L. Feldman Partner — Robert Feldman, Chair of the Risk Management Committee, is from Law Offices Of Robert L. Feldman.
- Milliken & Co. Partner — Milliken & Co. is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Mills Manufacturing Partner — Mills Manufacturing is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Narricot Industries Partner — Narricot Industries is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
- Para Concepts Partner — Kirk Smith, Chair of the Rigging Committee, is from Para Concepts.
- Paradigm Parachute & Defense Partner — Eric Blissmer, Chair of the Government Systems Committee, is from Paradigm Parachute & Defense.
- Paradigm Parachute & Defense Inc. Partner — Heather Rinaldi, Chair of the Membership Committee, is from Paradigm Parachute & Defense Inc.
- Paranetics Technology, Inc. Partner — Paranetics Technology, Inc. is a member of the Government Systems Committee.
+ 9 more