BPA renewal - what was your experience?

[vt1977 0]

Just wondering...

Mine were that it was a complete shambles.

Their online membership checker was not working on Friday morning and no BPA card had yet arrived in the post so I called the BPA office to request that they fax something over to me to confirm that I had paid so that I could jump this weekend.

I was informed that they had a large backlog because, (my emphasis), "WE didn't come back after Easter until Wednesday.". I'm sorry, but they have one big deadline during the year when their processing (or not) of membership on time affects the entire British skydiving population, in whose best interests they should be acting.

Whilst I wouldn't want to deny the hard working BPA staff a holiday day that was due to them, I am sure that none of us would get away with taking a day off (after a 4 day bank holiday weekend!) straight before an important deadline! I wonder whether the impact on renewals was considered when this was authorised? Or do they just not care?

Eventually, late on Friday I received a faxed confirmation that my membership had been renewed and was able to jump this weekend.

I checked the online membership checker this morning and it shows my membership to have expired, despite the fact that I have a faxed confirmation from them that my 2005/06 membership has now been processed.

I am incredibly unimpressed.

Vicki

[FFAddict 0]

Mine was pritty simple actually.

I sent my forms off got my card back in three days, although my name was spelt wrong!
I called them and was told i could jump with the poor spelling but they would send out anotherone which i had in two days.

When you concider that it had to go through the post so many times 5 days to get my membership is pritty impressive i thought. Although i did do it befor easter so i missed the rush

[Dazzle 0]

Just do it at the dropzone. I fill in the form, put card details on and hand it in. All is then nice and above board

[vt1977 0]

Quote

Just do it at the dropzone. I fill in the form, put card details on and hand it in. All is then nice and above board

Have you checked the online member checker? Does that have you as a renewed member yet? If not, you won't be able to jump anywhere else until your card arrives (mine still hasn't...).

I found the whole process exceptionally frustrating this year.

Vicki

[Zeemax 0]

This also wont work at Headcorn, you have to have proof of being a BPA member. They wont deal with it for you.

I've just faxed off my membership details.. so i'll see what happens. Generally speaking though they are usally very good with these things.

Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE
Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies

[yoink 321]

Didn't work at Weston last year either.

[MikeJD 0]

Haven't applied for mine yet - no time to jump - so I couldn't comment about this year's turnaround. But in recent years I've found them to be pretty quick. And I always do mine at the last minute...

[jakee 1,563]

Well, it does seem a bit irresponsible taking extra time off during membership renewal time but the thing is, you knew the deadline too, so why leave it so late?

Did mine a couple of weeks ago, got my membership card in two days, the only problem was forcing myself to fill in the financial details.

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[gremlin 0]

I had to leave mine til the last minute as the BPA were deciding whether to accept DFV insurance or not.

I think it is very irresponsible for the manager to decide that the BPA staff could have that Tuesday off. What is wrong with them taking a day after the deadline - any day - why inconvenience members by taking off time 3 days before the ONLY deadline of the year?

I'm drunk, you're drunk, lets go back to mine....

[jakee 1,563]

Yeah, Im just splitting hairs really, I'm usually guilty of seeing 'deadlines' as 'guidelines'.

Quote

I had to leave mine til the last minute as the BPA were deciding whether to accept DFV insurance or not.

DFV?

Does that mean you don't have to pay the insurance part of BPA membership?

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[gremlin 0]

DFV is the German skydiving association. They were discussing whether jumpers at a BPA dropzone could be covered by DFV insurance. The BPA has just ruled against this. DFV covers you £2million world wide (inc USA) and only costs £60 per year, membership and insurance. Makes you wonder why we pay so much more doesn't it?

I'm drunk, you're drunk, lets go back to mine....

[vt1977 0]

Quote

DFV covers you £2million world wide (inc USA) and only costs £60 per year,

I thought it was 59 euros (approx £43). But I may be wrong.

Vicki

[cpoxon 0]

Quote

I was informed that they had a large backlog because

When did you send your renewal off Vicki? Is it really surprising that people wait until the last minute creating a backlog? If you are not a member, you do not jump, therefore it is in your own best interests to ensure you renew in a timely enough fashion. If you are trying to time your renewal so closely that an extra day's delay matters then you a leaving it too late.

When I renewed last year a month in advance, it was turned around in a few days.

(says the man who handed in his form at the DZ on Saturday morning)

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live