Bill Dause Has a Libertarian Attitude Problem

Looks like Bill Dause at the Parachute Center has a Libertarian attitude problem. That doesn't work in a heavily-regulated field like aviation. The FAA has a difficult mandate and one way they cope is through attention to record-keeping as a proxy for attention to detail. Treating instructors as independent contractors, failing to monitor certifications, and failing to register the Center as a USPA member signal a disdain for detail - the sort of thing that gets you killed:

The instructor killed Saturday in a tandem sky dive with an 18-year-old student near Lodi was not certified, a violation of federal regulations, according to the national certifying organization.

The United States Parachute Association has no record of certification for Yong Kwon, 25, of South Korea, said Executive Director Ed Scott.

Kwon and first-time jumper Tyler Nicholas Turner of Los Banos died after sky diving from a plane operating out of the Parachute Center in Acampo. Authorities said their parachute did not open and the two hit the ground.

Under federal regulations, the instructor is responsible for packing and maintaining the main parachute used in a tandem jump.