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DocumentsInformation > 1st Jump Training Course (RAPS)
Most club members train through the Ram Air Progression System (RAPS). Here students will jump using modern highly manoeuvrable Ram Air square canopies. Training through the club is carried out at our commercial affiliated drop zone the Wild Geese, Garvagh, near Coleraine and costs £190. The first jump is included in the price of the course and involves 6-7 hours of ground training by certified B.P.A. instructors. After this each jump for Queens students costs £18 and £24 for UU or Honourary members.
Weight and age limits apply, males approximately 15 stone and females approximately 13 stone. Minimum age is 16 with those under 18 requiring parental consent. Upper age limit is 50 with 40+ requiring a doctors written consent.
Training lasts from 8am - 4pm with the first jump a static line jump where the canopy is deployed automatically by a line attached to the plane as the parachutist falls away. Training covers the following areas:
Aircraft Exits: Aircraft door mock ups are used to simulate the beginning of a jump, from aircraft loading procedures, the position to adopt within the aircraft and aircraft safety drills. Students will be shown the correct position to adopt in the doorway of the plane and how to exit in order to come out parallel to the wing and using the stable spread position after exit to fall in a controlled manner along with safety counts and any emergency procedures pre and post aircraft exit.
Landing (PLF): Using fan decent trainers from a height of 10-12ft, students will be able to experience the rate of decent associated with a student canopy when approaching the ground. This is to provide practise in the parachute landing fall (PLF) where the force of landing is distributed by falling and rolling along the calf, thigh and shoulder in order to reduce any risk of injury until the student has had the experience of a number of jumps and has learnt to correctly judge the point at which to flare (brake) in order to carry out a walking landing.
Reserve Drills: Students are suspended by harnesses which match those of a parachute rig and are used to practise reserve drills which are used in the unlikely event of a main canopy malfunction. This involves how to "cut-away" a malfunctioning main, and to then deploy the reserve canopy. Students are taught what a genuine malfunction is compared to a normal canopy or a fixable problem such as line twists, or end cell closure where the peripheral cells of the canopy are not fully inflated.
Training Lectures: Most mock up sections of the training are proceeded by lectures taking place in a classroom located within the hanger and are used to describe the techniques required and mid air images to familiarise trainees with what they can expect to encounter when in the air. Lectures not involving a mock up component include canopy control and the general introduction.
Training is followed by a brief test to determine if a trainee has the knowledge required to jump safely.
The Jump: The first jump from 3,500ft will take place immediately after training, weather permitting. For static line students to jump requires a wind speed of no greater than 18mph and clear sky to an altitude of ~3,200ft. Training takes place irrespective of weather conditions. A static line attached to the plane will automatically deploy the canopy as the student falls away giving 2-3 seconds of freefall followed by a ride under canopy to the ground of 4-5 minutes during which assistance will be given by radio from an instructor on the ground. If weather conditions are unfavourable, the jump can be postponed until a day where jumping is taking place at the drop zone. This is usually preceded by a short recap.
Weight and age limits apply, males approximately 15 stone and females approximately 13 stone. Minimum age is 16 with those under 18 requiring parental consent. Upper age limit is 50 with 40+ requiring a doctors written consent.
Training lasts from 8am - 4pm with the first jump a static line jump where the canopy is deployed automatically by a line attached to the plane as the parachutist falls away. Training covers the following areas:
Aircraft Exits: Aircraft door mock ups are used to simulate the beginning of a jump, from aircraft loading procedures, the position to adopt within the aircraft and aircraft safety drills. Students will be shown the correct position to adopt in the doorway of the plane and how to exit in order to come out parallel to the wing and using the stable spread position after exit to fall in a controlled manner along with safety counts and any emergency procedures pre and post aircraft exit.
Landing (PLF): Using fan decent trainers from a height of 10-12ft, students will be able to experience the rate of decent associated with a student canopy when approaching the ground. This is to provide practise in the parachute landing fall (PLF) where the force of landing is distributed by falling and rolling along the calf, thigh and shoulder in order to reduce any risk of injury until the student has had the experience of a number of jumps and has learnt to correctly judge the point at which to flare (brake) in order to carry out a walking landing.
Reserve Drills: Students are suspended by harnesses which match those of a parachute rig and are used to practise reserve drills which are used in the unlikely event of a main canopy malfunction. This involves how to "cut-away" a malfunctioning main, and to then deploy the reserve canopy. Students are taught what a genuine malfunction is compared to a normal canopy or a fixable problem such as line twists, or end cell closure where the peripheral cells of the canopy are not fully inflated.
Training Lectures: Most mock up sections of the training are proceeded by lectures taking place in a classroom located within the hanger and are used to describe the techniques required and mid air images to familiarise trainees with what they can expect to encounter when in the air. Lectures not involving a mock up component include canopy control and the general introduction.Training is followed by a brief test to determine if a trainee has the knowledge required to jump safely.
The Jump: The first jump from 3,500ft will take place immediately after training, weather permitting. For static line students to jump requires a wind speed of no greater than 18mph and clear sky to an altitude of ~3,200ft. Training takes place irrespective of weather conditions. A static line attached to the plane will automatically deploy the canopy as the student falls away giving 2-3 seconds of freefall followed by a ride under canopy to the ground of 4-5 minutes during which assistance will be given by radio from an instructor on the ground. If weather conditions are unfavourable, the jump can be postponed until a day where jumping is taking place at the drop zone. This is usually preceded by a short recap.