AFF1 - Skydiving

Arrived at Netheravon early on Thurday morning (very early for me!). Turns out that this is an Army camp on Salisbury Plain.

First problem is to get in - the security guard wants some ID with a photo on it. Not being very vain, I have nothing as we were not warned of this requirement. 'What company am I visiting?', 'Who is my contact?' and many other questions that I don't know the answer to. Phone me brother Sid and Stick answers - they are very nearly there too.

At this point, Sid is fully unaware of what lies ahead of him. On entering the Army camp, seeing tank crossings and helicopter shells, he thinks "we're going tank driving!". Eventually we get in without an anal probe. Sid still doesn't twig even when the guard explains we must keep our badges on, except when 'jumping'.

We are finally introduced to our instructor who explains what we are doing ("so we're not driving a tank then"). We are doing an Accelerated Free Fall course Level 1 (AFF1). This means that the learning process is accelerated, rather than the free fall (no rockets attached to our feet then?).

All four jumpers - me, Sid, Stick and Mike (Sid's future step-son) start to fill out the relevant forms in rather shaky handwriting. Then we find the next problem - it seems that if you are 40 or over, then you need a doctors certificate to state that you are fit and well. Again, we were not informed of this requirement and this precludes three of us. Against his better judgement and the opportunity to escape, Sid contacts a 'friendly family doctor' and we manage to get the required stamp and signature on the forms via the fax machine.

We are split into 2 pairs - Sid and Stick are trained by Dane and Mike and I by Steve. Initially we are taught about the parachutes and how they work safety etc. and how to control them in flight.

We are then taught about the procedure for exiting the plane and the free fall including the exercises we need to complete (this is a proper course rather than a nice day out) along with the hand signals with the instructors. This seems quite straight forward.

After lunch, we get onto the different scenarios of what can go wrong - which is a little more unnerving! We are joined by the ground crew - Jez, Andy and Nick. Nick had decided to do a tandum jump where he is strapped to an instructor, which does not involve all the training.

We do a written test and eventually are told that we have to wait for a gap in the weather - it has come over a bit cloudy from being a fine day up to now.

The clouds hold and we begin to wonder if we will actually get a jump. Last jump time would be around 5pm, so at 4:30 certain people are getting a bit cocky, believing that they won't have to jump.

Then we got the word to get our kit (or alternative word) together, because we were going. Sid, Stick and Nick (tandum) went in the first load of the appropriately callsigned plane (G-LEAP). Unfortunately I only had time to photograph Nicks landing, with his ginger rucksack (instructor), before our flight.

Made our way nervously to the aircraft. It is rather cramped inside, sitting on the floor with my back to the co-pilot. One instructor sits between my legs and another alongside. More people further down include Mike and his instructors and some others, making it quite full. Mike is closer to the door and has to go first. For some reason, my helmet has the word 'Arse' written on it.

OK - try to remeber the drill as we have been taught. The instructor asks the obligatory "are you ready to skydive". "YES" I lied in reply.

The secondary instructor moves to just outside the plane and I sit in the doorway, with my legs dangling in the airflow. 'Check-in' with primary instructor who is on my right still in the aircraft and then 'Check-out' with the secondary. Get low and look at prop - up, down and arch - and I push myself out.

This is quite a wierd feeling doing something that defys all natural logic - throwing yourself out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft. Externally I am confidently arching to gain a stable descent. Internally I think 'Oh God!'.

OK - now be professional and do the 'HASP' checks.

Horizon - yep I'm sure there is one under those clouds. Altitude - now 12000feet, where we had started at about 13500 - wow that went quick! Secondary - I convey the altitude to the secondary holding on my left side. Primary - likewise the primary instructor on my right.

Now the three practise pulls of the canopy pull cord. Arch, reach, recover. As I reach back I move my left arm to the front to balance and avoid the airflow spinning me over. However it makes me pitch downwards a bit which unsettles me at first.

A further two practice pulls and now back to my circle of awareness checks. We are now in the clouds. Wow - down to 6000feet already - lock-on, 5500ft wave and go for the pull.

1 thousand, 2 thousand, 3 thousand, 4 thousand, check canopy.

Is it big - yes.

Is it rectangular - yes. No sign of damage or twisted lines etc.

Is it controllable - a quick test with the control lines proves - Yes!

Phew, I can breathe again!

I was very fortunate that a cameraman chose to jump with me and film my descent. He very kindly gave me a copy:

Jump Video - Low resolution (1.5Mb)

Jump Video - Medium resolution (10Mb) for those with broadband or patience.

Alternative huge (61Mb) high resolution version

The rest of the ride was very pleasant, hanging around in mid air didn't seem as odd as it should have done. The canopy is very easy to control and I made my way to the holding area.

I never found out why, but my instructor told me to start my downwind landing approach (over the radio) when I was at 2000ft. I ignored this initially as I shouldn't do this until reaching 1000ft, but he seemed insistant. This caused me to go a long way down the field before turning crosswind and finally into wind for the landing, hence landing a fair distance from the buildings. The 'landing' wasn't terribly elegant - I misjudged my height whilst approaching the green stuff, and flared to early. I sort of stopped in mid air and then just dropped the last 6 feet. Not a problem though - a quick roll and then a scramble to bundle up the canopy.

I understand the Sid's descent was a little more eventful. I think he gave one of his instructors a bit of a kicking on exiting the aircraft and went into a bit of a spin. When he stabilised, the other instructor was about 17 stories above him - how did he get there?? The instructor then dived to catch up, putting into another spin as he went by.

Many thanks to all the guys at Netheravon - the administration needs some work, but then they have just completely changed their booking method. The instruction however was excellent!

What an amazing experience - or is that what a stupid thing to do?

I hope that those of you who bloused out (you know who you are) are feeling suitably shamed.