Day 1: Monday 10 Feb: The group set off for Netheravon from Merville Barracks, with a 164-mile journey ahead. Despite the M25 traffic, the group arrived and immediately began ground training for skydiving. The instructors began with teaching safety procedures, equipment handling, and body positioning for the freefall. They covered everything from how to inspect and manage parachute equipment to emergency procedures, ensuring everyone understood the crucial steps for safe and effective jumps.
Day 2: Tuesday 11 Feb: The advance-party, consisting of two generous volunteers who were to drive all the kit to Spain to save on flight expense, embarked on a ferry journey across the channel, finally arriving in Bordeaux late in the evening. With the group settled, everyone prepared for the upcoming training sessions, eager for their first jumps.
Day 3: Wednesday 12 Feb: The team made their way to Seville, where they collected their parachuting gear and spent the evening organising. The day ahead promised their first actual jumps, so the excitement began to build!
Day 4: Thursday 13 Feb: The first day of actual skydiving arrived, and the weather was perfect for the jump. The group began with refresher training, practising the critical “belly-to-earth” position (the arch) and body control in freefall. During their first AFF (Accelerated Freefall) jumps from around 13,000 feet, students jumped in pairs with two instructors each, providing safety and guidance during freefall. As each student exited the plane, they could feel the adrenaline rush as they accelerated through the sky at speeds over 120 mph. Freefall was both a thrilling and controlled experience, with instructors helping them stabilise and practise their body position. After about 45 seconds of freefall, they deployed their parachutes at 6,000 feet and practised their canopy control, steering their chutes and preparing for a safe landing using the “parachute landing fall” technique.
Day 5: Friday 14 Feb: With clear skies and favourable winds, the group continued with their skydiving training, advancing from level 2 to level 3 jumps. Level 2 jumps involved students deploying their parachutes at 6,000 feet after ‘practice-pull’ attempts. As they moved onto level 3, students worked on stabilising their body positions independently while performing basic manoeuvres in freefall, including the first attempt at maintaining control without direct instructor input. At the end of the day, all members had completed their level 1 and 2 jumps, and a few had even moved on to level 3, building the foundation for more advanced jumps.
Day 6: Saturday 15 Feb: The weather forecast called for a rest day, allowing the team to recharge and review their progress. This break would help them prepare for the more advanced skills they would need to master in the coming days.
Day 7: Sunday 16 Feb: The group was back in the air, working on level 4 jumps. With light winds and some clouds, the conditions were still good for skydiving. Level 4 jumps introduced new challenges, including 90-degree turns during freefall, where students had to maintain stability while performing controlled movements. Freefalling from 13,000 feet, they had to demonstrate the ability to execute stable turns, deploying their parachutes at 6,000 feet. The day also saw some students moving on to level 5, with more advanced freefall manoeuvres to practise, including 360-degree turns.
Day 8: Monday 17 Feb: After a late arrival due to low clouds, the team continued with more advanced skydiving skills. They focused on level 4 and 5 jumps, which involved independent freefall control, backflips, and tracking (a more rigid and vertical position allowing for faster speeds during freefall). The students demonstrated their ability to stay stable during freefall and control their bodies in various positions. As the day progressed, more students achieved their level 5 certification, marking a major milestone in their skydiving journey.
Day 9: Tuesday 18 Feb: The morning started with low clouds, but by the afternoon, conditions improved for level 6 jumps. These jumps involved a more complex series of manoeuvres, including back-loops, tracking, and controlled body positioning during freefall. Once stable after exiting, the students performed these manoeuvres and tracked across the sky, testing their ability to control their body movements without instructor intervention. For some students, this was their first real test of independence in freefall.
Day 10: Wednesday 19 Feb: With the weather improving, the group conducted level 7 jumps. This stage involved more complex manoeuvres, such as 360-degree turns in both directions during freefall. After completing the jumps, students worked on stabilising their position while turning in different directions. These skills were crucial for building the confidence and ability needed for solo skydiving.
Day 11: Thursday 20 Feb: The weather was perfect, and the group jumped straight into consolidation jumps. The aim was to demonstrate consistent stability and control in freefall while performing turns and transitions. By the end of the day, some students had moved on to level 8, which involved a “hop and pop” technique at 5,000 feet, where students practised exiting the plane, maintaining stability, and deploying their parachutes within 10 seconds of freefall.
Day 12: Friday 21 Feb: The winds were strong by midday, but the group had an early start and completed several consolidation jumps before the conditions became too challenging. Students worked on completing their level 8 hops and pops, improving their overall freefall stability and deployment times. A major focus was on building confidence in low-altitude deployments.
Day 13: Saturday 22 Feb: With another challenging weather forecast, the group managed to fit in a few more jumps, with students continuing their level 8 and consolidation jumps. Some students worked on completing their final steps toward obtaining the A-licence, performing solo hops and pops with instructors watching closely from above. By the end of the day, everyone had progressed significantly in their training.
Day 14: Sunday 23 Feb: This was the final push to complete all remaining jumps for the A-licence (all 8 levels and a total of 10 consolidation jumps). With perfect weather conditions and favourable winds, the group completed their final consolidation jumps and level 8 “hop and pop” exercises. By the end of the day, 11 out of 12 students had completed all necessary jumps for their A-licence, marking the successful culmination of their intense and rewarding skydiving adventure. The final brief at the DZ celebrated everyone’s achievements, with the instructors offering guidance for the next steps in their skydiving careers.
“Without a doubt a highlight from my military career. It’s such a rare opportunity to be able to achieve the skydiving A license from an expedition- I’m so grateful to all those involved who made it happen.”- SSgt O Saeed
“Definitely a life-long memory! From all the nerves at the start to being able to backflip out of a plane by the end, the progress is incredible in just a few minutes of freefalling. Thank you to the Ulysses Trust and all the instructors for their help, support and guidance.” Pte B Johnson
Conclusion: As the final day of training came to a close, the transformation in each student was evident. From their initial nerves and hesitations to the confidence and skill displayed in their final jumps, the progression was nothing short of remarkable. Everyone had gained a deep sense of self-belief and camaraderie with their fellow free-fallers. The thrill of jumping from an aeroplane, once a daunting prospect, had become another tangible skill learned. The students expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Ulysses Trust for making this life-changing expedition possible, providing them with the financial support and opportunity to challenge themselves in ways that were, until recent, relatively unimaginable. This experience, which pushed their boundaries and expanded their horizons, will be a lifelong achievement, inspiring them to continue reaching for new heights, both in skydiving and other aspects of life. Thank you, Ulysses Trust!
