Sgt Hotspur - Parachute Training

thumb_hotspur_jumptandem I had turned up in Holland at the National Paracentrum Teuge, The Netherlands, to join the Pathfinder Parachute Group's Basic Para course. I was full of apprehension - I had heard about these people.

Ian Marshall, the senior Instructor, had a reputation in the Parachuting world. He was a former Paratrooper from the elite British 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment. What he didn't know about Parachuting wasn't worth knowing - he had been a Red Devil, he was a Tandem Master, a World record holder in Canopy relative work, and if you needed a box of chocolates delivered by Parachute through the girl's window from 30,000 feet he was the man to deliver them.

The second man known as the 'Boss' was Roy Mobsby. Roy had also been a British Paratrooper, having served in the elite 1st Battalion and then moving though several Airborne units until he completed a total of 35 years as a soldier and as a Parachutist. His career included a ten year spell with the Royal Corps of Transports Silver Stars Parachute Display team. Both of these formidable men ran the Parachute club that I was about to jump with. Through the Pathfinder club they had attended several foreign Military Parachute courses and held many qualifications for Parachuting. These guys and their jumpers were some of the most experienced Round Canopy parachutists in the business and they did it now for fun. Pathfinder had been formed over 18 years ago by Roy and another former Paratrooper Ron Ball to enable Paratroopers leaving the Army to enjoy parachuting the way they had been taught. To learn Sport Parachuting meant being retrained, but Ron and Roy could see that was not necessary and figured out a way to help their comrades continue to enjoy parachuting. It had grown into an organisation that covered 18 countries and numbered 800 members at any one time.

I was introduced to the other jumpers. They came from a variety of countries and backgrounds - Portugal, Ireland. Holland, Belgium, UK to name but a few - and apart from Novice jumpers, Airborne re-enactors and former Paratroopers there was even a Commando.

I found the ground training hard. Parachute Landing fall training gave me bruises on my bum. (Might be an idea to ask Sgt Braille where he got those trousers made) Jumping from the aircraft mock up was frightening mainly because everyone was three times my height, so I had three times the distance to fall as everyone else. Ian said that two exits from the aircraft might as well count as one jump for me as I was so small. Julie Dinsey, the course camerawoman and dedicated non-jumper was given the title of "Keeper of the Bear", and was responsible for looking after me for the remainder of the course. She looked after me during training and in the bar at night [and never left me alone in the Hangar overnight ].

She was given this job because she had a kind face but also, as the shortest person on the course and about the same height as me, we could see eye to eye. Every day she would look at those of us on the course and call us all mad. "You wont get me jumping out of a plane," she repeated many times to anyone within earshot. Roy smiled - he had heard those words before and he liked a challenge.

Much to my shock and dismay I was not going to get a days grace before my first jump with the other novice jumpers. Dave Rashbrook, himself a former member of 10 Para (V), his wife Gill and Valda Melia, the wife of Dennis another former Paratrooper, were going to start the course with a 9000ft Tandem jump. This was where the student is strapped to Tandem master jumper and then gets to ride 'Passenger style' all the way to the ground with the Instructor doing all the work. Ha Ha, scary ... but wait a minute ... what do you mean I'm going to go as well, strapped to Gill? The Dutch instructor beamed. "Its my first triple Tandem." he smiled until Roy reminded him that saying the word "First" on any DZ means a round of beers in the bar. That stopped him smiling.

So there I was at 9000ft with the slipstream blowing through my fur. Did I mention that I've not been issued with trousers yet? More defence cuts no doubt. Brrr ... bloody cold ... Come on guys, with all those donations the least you can do is buy me a pair of trousers. Anyway, as I was now sticking out the door at 9000ft, I thought I might as well make myself useful; so I spotted for the pilot and told him when it was OK for us to exit. We rocked back and forward and, just when I thought the instructor had changed his mind, we were hurtling earthwards. The chute was opened early to give us a chance to steer the Parachute around the sky admiring the view (and Henny the cameraman as he flew around us taking photos). The landing was smooth, but I was almost injured when Gill posed for the camera holding me by the ears. Hang on girl they are not carrying handles!

That night I had a couple of swift halves while I made my first entry in my log book. Its amazing how good everything tastes when you have just cheated death. Well maybe that was a bit over dramatic, but I think you know what I mean. I still haven't got a clue what it was they dished up for dinner that night. Sometimes in a foreign country its best not to ask. Don't want to offend people now do we?

The following day I kitted up with my own parachute alongside my 'Stick' of jumpers. Ian finished the DZ brief and the final checks, and we made our way out to the Cessna Caravan. Why it has that name I don't know. It doesn't look like a caravan and I would hate to tow it behind a car. For one thing Parallel Parking goes right out the window with those wings sticking out. The plane ride was as smooth as I remembered from the day before, and the sun was shining. We got to the 2000ft drop height very quickly and after yesterday's jump the ground looked awfully close. "Are you sure we are at 2000ft?" I asked Ian. He just smiled and screamed "Go!" at the Parachutist who was carrying me. I don't think he as much jumped as was scared out the door by Ian, but after a short fall and a slight tug we were under a big round American parachute. Just as I was enjoying the ride my carrier put me at arms length and dropped me.

"AAAAAGHHHH!" I screamed, but just as I thought it was all going to end in tears my own chute tugged open. "Wheeew!" I had forgotten about that - he could have warned me. It went very quiet for a while and I enjoyed the view of the Teuge airport and the Dutch countryside spread out before me. Suddenly the ground rushed up to meet me. "Blimey! Where had that come from?" Before I knew it, I was down with a bump and safe and ground crew were coming up to congratulate me and the other novices on our first jump.

Video Clip of my Solo Jump

Ian landed by square parachute a few feet away from the RV point making it look so easy. "Right!" "Don't just sit there, get back and start packing for your next jump." "Move!". I'm sure he is a nice guy deep down inside and his mother must really love him. With the others I ran for the bus. "Ow!" There are Stinging nettles in the long grass". Did I mention I don't have any trousers...guys come on! This is getting embarrassing.

The Parachute packing lessons were revised, and everyone including me were getting good at this. I found it easy because my claws made a four line check look easy. Throughout the week I jumped, carried by various jumpers who all seemed to be queuing up to jump with me. I was becoming a bit of a celebrity. My head was getting a bit big for my Beret, but luckily Roy lent me his as he has a big head anyway. Oops, sorry! I think that came out wrong. (Must remember to erase that bit before going to print).

By Thursday we had all qualified for the Pathfinder Parachute Club's own 3 Jump Proficiency award and the Dutch Military B wing award after 5 successful jumps. As Ian said, "You only need four good ones, as you get your wings for the fifth one no matter how bad it is." I was a very happy bear.

My friend Julie wasn't looking too happy. Gill and Valda had plied her with a lot of alcohol the last night as they celebrated their successful end to their course. Somehow in a moment of bravado she had agreed to do a Tandem jump. Everyone in the bar heard her, including the pilot who said if she jumped he would make it memorable.

The following day Julie looked like it was a case of 'Dead men walking', but she couldn't back down now. Everyone had heard her. She had to wait until five in the evening for Henny the airborne cameraman to get back to the DZ. There was no way the lady who had kept saying she would never jump was going to get away without this being filmed. I agreed to go out attached to her, just to give her a bit of moral support. After all, I had completed 9 jumps so far and was considered an experienced jumper. Me, an experienced jumper? How cool is that?

Julie was helped into the aircraft ... or was it pushed? But either way, she was in the aircraft with a bunch of free fallers commonly referred to as 'Sky Gods' by us hard core Round canopy jumpers. We climbed to drop height, and the Sky Gods and another Tandem got out leaving us alone in the aircraft. We continued to climb. I checked our Tandem master's altimeter which she showed me and it read 12,500 ft. Did I mention our female Tandem master? She was a babe.....but I digress. Any higher and we could be run over by a Space shuttle. It was very cold with the wind whistling through the open door. Did I mention I don't have any trousers?

"Ready!" "Set!" "Go!" and we were hurtling earthwards, Julie's scream was one of pure excitement and I know she enjoyed it really. Looking to our right was the strangest sight of the Aircraft diving nose down alongside us at 180 miles an hour. The pilot said he would make it a memorable jump for her. "Oh so its a race you want!" He chickened out first and pulled out of the dive leaving us deploying our big parachute and flying around before landing smoothly. Henny had captured it all on film.

Julie bent down and whispered in my ear. "When does this stupid grin wear off as its hurting my cheeks?" "Oh that?" I replied knowingly, now that I was a fully fledged Airborne Bear with 10 jumps to my credit. "That's a first time jumpers grin. It should wear off in about an hour or two when your muscles relax and you stop shaking." She carried me over to the DZ vehicle grinning at everyone like a maniac.

All to soon my course came to an end. I would like to thank all the Pathfinder members for looking after me and raising £140 for charity. Thank you to the British and Dutch instructors who taught the course, and gave us the chance to experience round canopy static line jumping and Tandems, and to Simon Woerlee and the staff of the Dutch National Parachute Centre Teuge for their hospitality. Would I recommend it to anyone? ... Yes! ... Would I do it again? ... Yes! After all, I'm part of the Airborne Brotherhood now, although just a little bit of it.

Now where is that Sgt Slingsby? Got to show the 'Hat' my new pair of wings.

ED: Thanks to everyone there who helped give a Bear a wonderful week, especially the "Ladies Who Jump!" You all deserve a round of applause ... but all you get is your picture here on the Website!!