FIRST JUMP COURSE
HERO STATUS AWAITS
Your first step on the road to becoming a skydiver is our First Jump or FTJ course.
The FTJ will instruct you how to make safe static-line descents and to prepare you for the progression to freefall. Below is a list of skills you’ll learn during the FTJ course, preparing you for future jumps.
INTRODUCTION
At the start of the course you’ll receive some background on sport parachuting and what you can expect in the future. You’ll learn how important safety is to the sport and why discipline is critical. You’ll learn that fear is natural, and how to overcome this fear to enjoy your jumps, and that jumping regularly helps maintain progress and subdue fear.
You’ll learn about your logbook, airfield, club and sport rules plus the different sport disciplines; formation skydiving, artistic events and wingsuiting, plus canopy disciplines; CRW and swooping. But understand this is all about jumping out of a plane, not from buildings, antennas, spans, or the Earth, or as you might know it, BASE jumping.
THE REST OF THE COURSE
As the course progresses you learn more and more about safe jumping and sport parachuting. Here is a brief list of what to expect to learn.
- How to manifest and pay for jumps.
- Put on a parachute container correctly and make sure it fits
- Board the aircraft in the correct manner
- Move in the aircraft safely with due care for your equipment and reserve handle
- Check your equipment prior to exiting the plane
- Exit the plane correctly in the stable, arched position
- Count out loudly at the correct speed
- Check your main canopy deployment and, if necessary, carry out the correct reserve drill
- Control your parachute correctly
- Land your parachute correctly
- Know what to do in case of a hazardous landing or dragging
- Gather your parachute up properly and carry all equipment back to the packing area
- Take due care when moving on the airfield particularly when crossing runways
- Report back to the Jumpmaster for a debriefing and to get his next jump authorised in your logbook
Once you’ve successfully completed the FTJ course you can come and jump whenever you like so you’ll learn how to find out what your next training jumps will be and how to make them happen.
LEARNING TO PACK
The thing you’ll want to learn to do very quickly is pack a parachute. As Roberton Skydive School is a club teaching you to pack is a priority because as soon as you can pack proficiently the sooner you can help pack parachutes for future students. When you’re on the dropzone and you have a moment spare, watch some of our regular jumpers pack and ask them to show you; they’ll be only too pleased to teach you.
You’ll learn how to stow the brakes, do a 4-line check, check the line groups and slider, check the line stowage, and container closure. After a while it’ll all become second nature to you. And once you’ve done 10 packs learnt about the famous three-ring system and rig maintenance you’ll be ready to do our club packing test. Once you’ve passed we pay you to pack our gear! Many people have packed their way through their skydiving career to fund extra jumps.
BOOK A FIRST JUMP COURSE
First Jump Course Standard
- FTJ Course with One Jump
- Student Price R1665
First Jump Course Deluxe
- FTJ Course with Three Jumps
- Student Price R2645
Skydiving is a very social sport, that’s why we encourage you to come to the dropzone for the weekend. The FTJ course takes up most of Saturday, by which time it’s too late to jump, so your jump will be on Sunday morning. There is plenty of space to pitch a tent, plus we have a clubhouse with a kitchen and showers. Everyone at the dropzone braais on the Saturday evening so come and spend the evening with our members and let them tell you about their skydiving adventures.