Licenses/certifications for other adventure sports?

[supergaijin]

Other threads related to 'check dives' and diver vs DM responsibility recently have me wondering whether there are any other sports comparable to diving which require licenses.

I assume there is no license for mountaineering but how does one go about climbing Everest of K2? Who decides whether one can go- knowing that a 'bad' mountain climber puts other climbers at risk.

Whitewater rafting? Rally car racing? Base jumping?

Is the sport of diving unique in that it requires a license to participate in commercial activities such as what we see with guided dives?

 

[Phil_C]

Rally driving as a hobby requires an MSA licence (at least in Europe) over and above an ordinary driving licence. - P

 

[Searcaigh]

FIA licence required for international rally driving, FIM for motorcycles.

I don't ski but is there not a check done on people tackling graded slopes etc.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Darwin does the checks in a lot of other extreme sports. No one ever asked me how much experience I had on a chairlift for a black diamond slope. Just wanted a valid lift ticket. I'm guessing anyone can order a hang glider and find a nice steep hill or buy a crotch rocket as their first bike. I remember when Yamaha came out with their 500cc motocrosser back in the early 70's. Leg breaker cause if you didn't follow the right procedure it would either throw you off or break your leg when you tried to kick it over and it kicked back. Then once started it was a nasty old girl. light and a few people got hurt because they were not ready for it. But had I the money at 14 I could have bought one as long as my dad signed for it. No check on skills or ability. Just "here ya go, have fun or kill yourself!"

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I am fairly certain you need a license or certification to do all of the following: fly an airplane; pilot a hot air balloon; free fall sky diving; hunting in Colorado with firearms ( hunter safety course for firearms use );
carry a concealed firearm. I am anxious to see if others can add to this list. I like Jim's comment on the "Darwin" factor.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Peter_C]

Hang gliding requires licensing to fly at many sites.

Scuba diving does not require a certification for many sites.

 

[Tigerman]

Other threads related to 'check dives' and diver vs DM responsibility recently have me wondering whether there are any other sports comparable to diving which require licenses.

I assume there is no license for mountaineering but how does one go about climbing Everest of K2? Who decides whether one can go- knowing that a 'bad' mountain climber puts other climbers at risk.

Whitewater rafting? Rally car racing? Base jumping?

Is the sport of diving unique in that it requires a license to participate in commercial activities such as what we see with guided dives?

Rafting Im not sure about, but both rally car racing and other forms of car racing does require licenses other than a drivers license. Base jumping requires a skydiving license, but considering many base jumps is illegal in the first place...
Also, with aerobatic licenses there tend to be a requirement to keep them fresh - which is why I dont have my skydiving license.

With regards to climbing, there is licenses as well atleast if you do it competetively.
If you want to climb everest or K2 youre in the realm of expeditions, just like skiing to the south pole and stuff like that and at that point you enter a whole different realm of laws altogether. For one it requires insurances and preparations way beyond what most if not all "non-professional" would even be assed to consider going through.

 

[gcbryan]

Licenses have more to do with raising revenue for the "state" and/or for activities where there is a greater risk for others (the general public).

Diving does require a license, nor does climbing. Flying does. If an airplane crashes or flies into another larger airplane many people other than the pilot can get killed. Diving on requires a certification if you intend to diving on a boat or get air from someone else in most cases. Climbing only requires permits in certain (relatively rare) situation.

If you own some private land with a dirt road on it you can buy a brand new car and let your 6 year old drive it alone and the only law you'll brake is one related to "child abuse" No driving law will be broken.

 

[Paladin]

Licenses have more to do with raising revenue for the "state" and/or for activities where there is a greater risk for others (the general public).

Diving does not require a license, nor does climbing. Flying does. If an airplane crashes or flies into another larger airplane many people other than the pilot can get killed. Diving on requires a certification if you intend to diving on a boat or get air from someone else in most cases. Climbing only requires permits in certain (relatively rare) situation.

If you own some private land with a dirt road on it you can buy a brand new car and let your 6 year old drive it alone and the only law you'll brake is one related to "child abuse" No driving law will be broken.

Flying a single seat ultralight aircraft does not require a license. But there are restrictions on where you can fly them and how far. There is no license requirement for SCUBA diving. Certification is an industry thing, not a legal requirement.
When I was 12, I traded a hunting dog for an old Willys Jeep and drove it all over the hills out behind the house. The gas company and the state forestry service had miles and miles of dirt roads that I used.

 

[supergaijin]

I agree that there is no license requirement to scuba dive- I was doing it in NZ before knew anything about licenses. They are required however to join scuba diving trips.... unless one opts for Shady Jim's 'Bring 'em back Alive' tours.

The difference I see with flying airplanes for example is that it isn't done as a guided group for people on vacation. There are a few backyard DIY guys in NZ who regularly build microlights and fly them in their friends' paddocks but this is a homegrown hobby.

Perhaps accessibility is the limiting factor. Diving is possible pretty much anywhere with a bit of overhead water. Licenses came about as a way of standardising the training for divers, then became the norm as a way of protection against law suits when people started taking one way trips on vacation. Anyway- was just curious.