Category E : Sixth and Seventh Jumps

Ah, aerobatics. Now we're getting somewhere.

Category E introduces the fun stuff - back flips, front flips, and barrel rolls - also known more fondly by your instructors as "Disorienting Maneuvers."

There is by no means any expectation that you will perform any of these maneuvers perfectly on your first try. What you will do, without any doubt, is get yourself thoroughly disoriented and in an unstable body position. The real crux of this dive is to recover stability and control within 5 seconds of your disorienting maneuver - and then do it all again and again as altitude permits.

Based on your performance on this dive, attitude, confidence and general ability your instructor will sign you off to jump without supervision in freefall. Your sign-off for self-supervision is required to progress further in the course.

Canopy control is improved by learning the two step flare. Flaring quickly to a point that stops downward descent and slowly continuing the flare as forward momentum is decreased. Finally when the canopy hasn't got enough energy to continue flying on its own (usually at a forward speed of less than a few miles per hour or so), you put your feet on the ground and either stand up or take a step or two.

Technical knowledge is required for self supervision in freefall. You are expected to understand weight-and-balance and its effect on the aircraft, jump run procedures and aircraft airspeed. You will demonstrate knowledge of what to do in an aircraft emergency. If you haven't already you'll learn how to read the winds aloft report. You will be able to calculate your desired jump run, exit and opening points. You will take responsibility for getting your three pre-jump equipment checks from an instructor (before gearing, before boarding, and before jumping), for every self supervised jump you make while on student status. By now you should know how to spot, and to verify that you're not about to jump over an area from which you can not easily return to the dropzone. You'll be familiar with where to sit in the aircraft and where in the order you're going to exit, and how to determine an appropriate length of time to wait to ensure adequate space between exiting jumpers.

If you haven't already, you will have to take a packing lesson. You're in sight of your USPA A-License exam now, and you will not receive a license until you are able to pack for yourself.

The long-and-short of Category E is that it's a lot of fun and learning packed into a jump or two, culminating with your ability to jump without supervision in freefall.

The written quiz for Category D contains the FAA Requirements for Cloud Clearances, which you are expected to know by heart in addition to the Category D materials contained in the Student Information Manual.

Next (Category E - Exit and Freefall) >>

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