Netheravon

I have been asked (and jumped at the chance) to go for a static line parachute jump at Netheravon this weekend. I believe it is training tomorrow and then a jump on Sunday. Really can't wait to jump!

Just wondering if anyone else has done this course and has any advice on kit, any hints etc (Is this a bone question or what? I'm just so excited!)

Also, the weather looks like it will be cloudy, rainy and potentially windy. What are my chances of actually getting to jump?

 

good all round - good instruction, loads of ground training and a good laugh to boot

Bring a warm set of clothes as its a bit open whilst waiting around to jump, and take some scran and brew kit - not much in the way of catering facilities

Pretty sure lve seen all those orange jump suits before though....

 

If you're interested in night-time activity, there's only one pub in the village (the Dog and Gun) and it's pretty dire. There's also a bar on camp as well, not been myself though. Heard that it's way overpriced though.

 

the bar is fine for one night only - wouldn't want to spend more than that there though! Friendly crowd in there

 

Friendly crowd? I can never work out sarcasm in text?!?

Think I'm going to need directions to that pub

 

No, the pub is really best avoided. However, if you really wish to visit such a dive, then it's easy to spot.

From Airfield camp, leave (either on foot or by car) and travel down the big hill and follow the road over the small bridge and then on past Rod Smiths garage (which will be on your right). You will come to a T-junction, take a right and the pub is right there on your right.

 

Any idea if the weather is going to do us in?

How bad is too bad for jumping?

 

If you can see the ground and it isn't pissing with rain then you should be able to jump.

 

I did the course about 7 years ago.

We only got the one jump in at the weekend and I somehow managed to miss the bl**dy great big expanse of green and landed between a hanger and a couple of trees, neatly doing the splits to miss a fire hydrant marker when about a second away from landing which meant I went arrse over tit ! Apparently curling into a ball and screaming isn't what you are supposed to do when you leave the aircraft either.

Plenty of comments came my way when I walked sheepishly back up to the training office, parachute in my arms and on the debrief. Obviously the problem with not being able to land on the airfield itself wasn't my fault, it was all down to the poor RT and the fact that I couldn't hear what toggles I was being told to pull on to steer properly

I went back a few weeks later to do another jump to see if I really was as terrified as I remembered, and I was. So haven't done another jump since.

 

Haven't jumped there in years but was run by a cracking bunch of lads then. If it's a bit gusty you'll be doing a lot of hanging around as I think wind speed limit is still 12kts for static line jumps if you're doing RAPS. Clouds shouldn't matter as long as you can see the ground (VFR).

Warm underlayer vital at this time of year as the jumpsuits don't keep much of the chill out, wear boots rather than trainers as it's a long walk back across the DZ and if the grass is wet your feet'll get soaked, oh and don't let your 'nads get caught under your harness!

 

Warm, but not bulky right? Or does that not really matter?

 

Went there for 4 weeks many years ago and had a great time. Civvy Students used to get to jump there every weekend. my self and 3 mates had a great time chatting up 4 students. Of course we told them we were the red devils and were practising a new display, All was going great until 4 real red devils turned up and pissed on our bonfire. Bleeding paras

Also got banned from the end of course piss up. As the DS felt we had had enough drink over the month to last a lifetime.

Oh yeah we did some parachuting aswell, (i think)

 

Doesn't make much odds, just don't try and get a Puffa jacket under your jumpsuit.

Oh, and don't do what I did on my first jump (on the old SL22s) and leave your car keys in your pocket so when you do your perfect PLF in the snow you embed them halfway up your arrse.

Have fun!

 

Make sure you don't drift onto Stonehenge, or equally old Westdown Camp. You might never get out...

 

I took a group of my sixth formers there a good few years ago as they were doing a jump to raise money for charity. They were trained by the best, ie the parachute display team from PWRR. Utterly brilliant place. Problem for novice jumpers - if the wind is too high then novices can't jump, one gust over x knots (forget the figure) and no novice jumping for about half an hour. The real problem is the airfield was situated there way back near the start of powered flight because the relatively high winds in that location made it easier to get low powered aircraft off the ground. Hence frequent delays for the orange suiters while everyone else carries on regardless.

While I was there a bunch of Royal Marines were being trained for their first jump. One of the last parts involves walking around on the landing area part of the drop zone, mimicking the control line movements in a walk through of the landing. Hence a big group of marines all with their hands up walking around pretending to pull one control line after the other in a landing approach.

Cue two gentlemen from the army. One microphone and the public address system.....

"Look there's Royal Marines out there on the drop zone"
"How do you know they are marines?"
"They're surrendering."

To say they were furious would be an understatement.....
It was brilliant.

Enjoy your day there. I was already well past 40 and thus too old to be allowed to do a first jump there, so missed out. Still annoyed about that.