Cadets’ 4000ft leap brings them back down to earth

May 30, 2019

This past weekend two cadets from Monmouth School for Boys and Monmouth School for Girls leapt at the chance of partaking in static line parachute training at Netheravon, renowned for having the biggest drop zone in Europe.

The two cadets, Osian and Sonia, started with a tour of the air field and training commenced by learning what made up a parachute and how to control it as well as what could go wrong. Next the pair learned how to exit an aeroplane by using a replica of the side door – this technique being critical as the exit sets up how the parachute reacts to being opened.

After this cadets learned how to land correctly. This lesson began with practising standing jumps and then progressed to sprinting up a ramp and hurtling off the top onto mats below. In the afternoon safety drills were set in to place as the cadets learned how to activate the reserve parachute as well as landing patterns and how to gauge the wind. Later on they under went a practical test in mock harnesses 5ft off the floor as well as a written test.

For the last part of the day the cadets- who both flew through the initial tests- were suited up and had the opportunity to jump for their first time from 3500ft. Sunday morning the cadets went through a refreshers course and then had the opportunity to jump for a second time, this time from just over 4000ft.

What a fantastic opportunity and well done to Osian and Sonia for taking full advantage of it.