John Smyth, IPC Vice President

  It is almost an insult to ask those who are active in IPC for their skydiving history and an impossible task to summarise it here:

John Smyth:

Years in Skydiving: 35

IPC Vice President 

IPC Delegate for the UK

Member of the IPC Sporting Code Working Group

Chairman of the British Parachute Association

John started his jumping career with the Territorial Army and in the early years most of his jumping was military.    However once he joined the Metropolitan Police and became a member of their Accuracy Team and Display Team he became heavily involved in Sport Parachuting.  As a member of the Mustgetbeers Accuracy Team he attended, and the team won many European accuracy competitions. 

In 1993 John joined the British Parachute Association Council and has served the BPA ever since in a variety of roles;  Chair of the Competitions Committee, Vice Chair of the Royal Aero Club, Head of Delegation and Team Manager of the British Team at various World Cups and Championships.  In January 2008 he was voted in to the position of Chairman of the British Parachute Association.

A few years ago John was awarded a Bronze Medal by the Royal Aero Club.  This year, for his services to the British Royal Family, HRH Queen Elizabeth II has awarded him an MVO in the 2008 New Years Honors List.

John is very honoured to be elected to the position of IPC Vice President and commented that “his honestly held belief is that this is an indication of the very high regard and the immense respect the the world has for every aspect of UK Skydiving.  He is at the IPC representing the BPA and it is the BPA and its membership that should be congratulated for this selection to Vice President and membership of the Bureau of IPC”.