Right guys just a bit of info about your Ram Air Progression System (RAPS) - Progression through the course involves increasing exit altitude, as well as turns, backflips and unstable exits. Once you have met all the requirements of the course (after a minimum of 18 jumps, but can take more), you will be awarded your A license.
A License
Once you have achieved your A License you are no longer considered a 'student' skydiver and may perform unsupervised jumps with other people (who do not need to be instructors). You can then also progress onto other qualifications such as CH2, FS1, FF1 etc. In order to achieve your A License you must be able to demonstrate the following abilities:
- Awareness of altitude.
- The ability to deploy your own parachute.
- Maintain and regain belly to earth stability (i.e. not spinning out of control).
- Start and stop turns in clockwise and counter clockwise directions.
- Backloops.
- Tracking (i.e. being able to move forwards in the sky relative to others).
- Tracking while turning. (i.e. as an avoidance manoeuvre).
- Completed CH1
Below is an overview of the RAPS category system, the requirements and the number of jumps required.
- Category 1 - Ground School: Introduction to the equipment, aircraft & emergency drills, exit procedures and canopy control. No of jumps - 0.
- Category 2 - First Jumps: Exiting the aircraft with a good stable body position. The parachute opens as you fall away from the aircraft with the use of the static line. No of jumps - 2.
- Category 3 - Dummy Pulls: Practicing a simulated rip-cord pull while still demonstrating a good stable body position on the static line. No of jumps - 3.
- Category 4 - 3 Second Delay: 3 second delay before deploying your own parachute via ripcord (goodbye static line!). No of jumps - 2.
- Category 5 - 10 Second Delay: 10 second freefall, displaying a stable arch in a belly to earth position. No of jumps - 2.
- Category 6 - 15 Second Delay: 15 second freefall, use altimeter to determine opening altitude. No of jumps - 2.
- Category 7 - Turns: 360 degree turns in both directions, show heading control. First jump requires 1 turn, second jump requires 2. No of jumps - 2.
CAT 8:
1. Unstable exit & turns.
2. Dive exit & backloop.
3. Dive exit & tracking.
4. Dive exit, tracking and track turns.
5. Dive exit, back loop, 360 deg turns, short track, wave off and pull. No of jumps - 5.
Hope this gives you an overview of what you are actually working towards and it would be AMAZING to see all you new students finish your RAPS course and gain your A lisence because that is when the FUN really starts :D
Blue Skies
Skydivebob
