The FLCPA is proud to announce that swooping will once again return to Fantasy of Flight in 2009.  As part of a funfilled water extravaganza, this *Pro Only* event will be taking place side by side with a Sea Plane Fly In at Fantasy of Flight. Its time to kick back and swoop for the reasons we all started grabbing those front risers... for the love of swooping.

Location: Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, Florida

Date:  September 26-27(no practice day, no weather day at meet venue) 1 jump constitutes a meet

Prize: at least $5,000

Pre-registration:  Is being offered this year by invitation only to qualified US and International competitors.  Not a pro pilot yet?  Places will be reserved for the top overall finishers of the FLCPA regular season.

Field of competitors: 35-40

Events:  8-10 rounds...Not the traditional speed, distance and accuracy. Events TBA.

Lodging:  Days Inn  is our partner hotel.  Competitor rooms have been blocked off.  2 DBL Beds = $62.99 ( 1-2 People), Additional person $10 King bed suite = $ 72.99 (1-2 people) Additional person $10.  I’ve stayed here before, it is clean, new and pretty nice.

There are other hotels available in proximity.  Closest cities are Polk City and Auburndale.

RV’s:  Lelynn RV resort
1513 State Rd 559
Polk City, FL  33868
Tele 800-736-0409

They are right next to Fantasy of Flight if you would like to bring your RV.  Please contact them directly to reserve a slot. Tent camping is not permitted at Lylynn.

Camping:  Fantasy of Flight will have a designated area for those interested in Tent camping.  There will be port-o-potties available, but no other camping facilities.  I believe they call it “boyscout style”

Spectators: Fantasy of Flight will be offering discounted admission to USPA members.  Please remember to bring your valid USPA membership card, and photo ID to receive your discounted entry into the park.

Cost:  $350 registration and competition jumps inclusive

Registration:  May be made by completing the registration form attached.  Your place will be held when (1) your registration form has been received via email, and (2) Your registration fee has been received.

Registration fees must be arranged via Paypal to lastbigsplash@cpafl.org or by paying cash to the League director here in Deland.  There is also a payment button on the home page at cpafl.org.

Registration Deadline:  June 30th.  After this date, registration opportunities may be offered to the next qualified pilot(s).

Cancelation/Refund policy:

Registration cancelations received will be refunded according to the details below:

• prior to July 31st will receive a refund less 10%
• by August 31st will receive a refund less 50%
• September 1st or later will not be eligible for a refund.

Many of you have thrown various dropzone locations into the pot to hold our last meet. I've driven around Florida looking at bodies of water on various airports scouting for another site we could hold a meet. Lucky for us, it seems that another dzo has cought the swooping bug and is building a pond on his dropzone.

Approximately 300ft x 150 ft will be the dimensions of this new swoop facility. Today is April 3rd, and the pond is about 1/2 full . Please join me in welcoming Raeford Parachute Center to our list of host dropzones for 2009 and beyond.

May 16th 2009 will be the date for this 5th and final meet of the regular season. We're excited to expand the league to this swoop friendly dropzone and spread our infectious love for canopy piloting. Apparently if you claim a speed world record, you get your own pond!

Raeford is the same driving distance from Deland, FL as the Skydve the Farm. For the Atlanta Crew, thsi new venue is actually closer than our Florida meet hosts. I'm excited to see our reach expanding. I'm confident that bringing on this new venue will bring some fresh talent to the league.

At the last meet of the season we presented the "Annual Champions Plaque" to the League. It shows the names of each season's overall winner since the inception of the FLCPA in 2004.

2004 - Ian Bobo
2005 - Tyler Lawson
2006 - Tom Dellibac
2007 - Craig Saucier
2008 - Pete Schwartz

For their support of the league it was decided that this award would be displayed at PD in thanks for their ongoing support of the FLCPA and the discipline of canopy piloting. The FLCPA annual champions plaque was mounted in the lobby at PD. How fitting it seems that it will hang next to the United States Patent for a crossbraced canopy which belongs to PD/Bill Coe. There it will stay until next season when it is taken down to add the 2009 champion.

This was my first season taking over the league from Chris Hayes. Overall I think, and from the feedback I've received, that our season was a huge success. We had over 60 competitors from around the world compete in the FLCPA this season. Our 2008 seasons Amateur Champion was awarded acceptance into the Sky Systems sponsorship program and the ProPurchase program from Alti-2. The league awarded over $2,700 in prize money. This seasons meets have been an open forum for learning and information exchange. We have done that with the goal of providing a safe environment for the advancement of the canopy piloting discipline.

A few big thanks- our host dropzones their management, manifest, ground crew, and pilots:
Lake Wales
Skydive Palatka
Skydive Sebastian
Skydive Tallahassee
Skydive the Farm

Our 2008 Sponsors for supporting our league and our discipline.
Performance Designs
Sky Systems USA
Alti-2

Our webmaster, David Holm,for designing our new website and updating throughout the season. And last but not least, our judging staff, Kim, Annie, Monica, Amber, Amy, Mike, and others who assisted to help out at our meets. Their time is precious and they gave it to you.

Hug them next time you see them.

The 2008 season of the Florida Canopy Piloting league came to a close this weekend with a blowout event outside Atlanta Georgia. Thirty one competitors(16 Pro & 15 Amatuer) converged upon Skydive the Farm for a great weekend of swooping. Hans Paulsen opened his arms wide and welcome pilots from around the southeast and beyond.

The 2008 FLCPA overall champion is Pete Schwartz from Virginia. Second goes to Chris Moore from the Golden Knights. And rounding out the top three is Loud Dan McAllister from Atlanta. Over 60 competitors from around the world competeted this season in the FLCPA. 2009 is shaping as we speak.

After much deliberation, and building the largest PC district, which is arguable one of the best canopy piloting leagues in the world, AND after 5 long years of paying it forward to the swooping community...... Chris Hayes has decided to hand over the reins of the Florida Canopy Pilots Association.

I think I speak for everyone involved when I say "Thank you Chris!" This league has grown up to be the premiere canopy piloting league, dare I say it... in the world. Every CPC National Champion has come this league. Eight of the top ten at the 2007 World cup were from Florida. This is where it's all happening. Last year we had a member who flew down from New York to attend the meets, and the rumor has it that there will be more members coming from in from around the US this season as well.

I've volunteered to step up and do my best to pick up where Chris left off and keep our league growing. Overall there will be little changes to the formats of our meets for the upcoming season.