Free-fall instructors Sgt Trent Morris and WO Ralf Jaeger from the Parachute Training School at Nowra take Sgt Rip Orchard on his first free fall jump over Jervis Bay. Sgt Jaeger will shortly become the first person to break the 3000 military jump barrier in the Army.

“It’s a lot easier to learn up there than just doing stuff on the mats – there is no apprehension, just a bit of a rush.” – Instructor Sgt Rod 'Rip' Orchard

Free-fall students undergo ground training prior to the jump phase of the course which is organised by the Parachute Training School, PTS, at Nowra. Photos by Cpls Wade Laube and Darren Hilder, 1JPAU(P)

Free falling
Usually when you get kicked out of the classroom it’s a bad thing - not here

At anything from 1000 to 25,000 feet, as a student in this class you are expected to get out, and quickly, as part of the assessment. Shane Fairlie reports.

THE Army’s Parachute Training School (PTS) at Nowra is responsible for all ADF parachute training and supports airborne activities around the country.

CO Lt-Col Stephen Evans, who jumps tandem with students, said the school was more to do with cool, calm and collected instruction than excitable jumping.

The training facility of about 70 personnel consists of four wings, responsible for training up to 740 students a year.

PTS members work as a team to provide a learning environment that must and does produce a perfect product.

United in their passion for jumping, members of the school are involved in a diverse range of tasks from free-fall instruction to parachute maintenance.

Adj Capt James Kiwi was raised in Perth and after school travelled around his birthplace New Zealand where he did his first tandem jump.

“I decided at about 3000 feet to join the Army – I even told the tandem jump guy this place is now the love of my life,” he said.

OC Parachute Maintenance Wing (PMW) Capt Jimi Harcourt is responsible for the parachute riggers and all parachutes and related equipment.

The PMW riggers provide the ultimate in quality control by being prepared to jump with the rigs they pack themselves.

The 200-plus jumper said the school was not just about the jumps but also the invaluable instruction that made it all possible.

“We teach some of the best of the Australian Army – the challenge of teaching and passing on these skills provides something more than the rush of adrenalin – satisfaction,” he said.

Parachute Training Wing (PTW) conducts classes in parachute free fall, static line, O2 jumps and a hybrid jump called Ram Air Parachute Static Line.

More than 380,000 descents without student fatality, gives the school one of the best safety records in the world and demonstrates the quality of instructors, riggers, support crew and equipment specialists.

With a vision of recognised excellence in military parachuting, teaching methods are world class.

Teaching technique also includes providing free-fall students with video footage of their own descent for analysis, taken by qualified Army cameramen in mid-air.

The school has literally hundreds of years of practical knowledge and one of the most experienced levels of staff schools in the ADF.

OC PTW Capt Brett Poole, assesses the instructors and said the teaching program was standardised and highly effective.

“Once they get used to the teaching they get very good – during courses the days are full of constant drill work until it becomes instinctive,” he said.

Basic parachute qualified students doing a Military Free Fall course will jump on day three.

Instructor Sgt Rod 'Rip' Orchard, said it made sense to jump as soon as possible.

“It’s a lot easier to learn up there than just doing stuff on the mats – there is no apprehension, just a bit of a rush,” he said.

With the informal motto of “all's good on the South Coast,” the school, nestled near Kangaroo Valley and along beautiful coastline, is a popular posting.

The school runs a heavy training schedule with 26 courses a year, but those at the school reckon it to be a great place to work.

It often provides a welcome break from the frantic pace of other Army activity, particularly for the many SASR students.

“I love the parachuting, everything is planned and the South Coast is an outstanding place to be posted, especially for a married bloke,” said one SASR member posted to the school.

Parachute Development Wing, “the crash test dummies,” develop all parachute policy and procedural doctrine and contribute to developmental projects to advance capability.

Recent work has involved trialing the new C-130J for parachuting and devising a weapons sleeve for paratroopers.

Parachute Support Wing provides administrative, medical and logistical support, with personnel also able to jump and instruct if qualified.

Military parachute training began in Australia 1951 at the Air Force Parachute Training Wing at Williamtown. Responsibility was passed to Army in 1974 and it was relocated to Nowra in 1986.

The school has a number of annual international military visits, with the US, Singaporeans and Kiwis coming out to see first hand, world’s best practice.

Smooth operator
AGE seven was a career turning point for Ralf Jaeger.

Watching a jump with his dad at a German Air Show, he announced his future plans.

“I want to do that one day,” he said.

More than 7000 jumps later, Training Wing Instructor WO2 Ralf Jaeger is one of the most experienced military free fallers in the Army with 2860 military jumps.

WO2 Jaeger is a free-fall subject matter expert and has taught pretty much everyone.

“It’s good to see the students controlling their own destiny and seeing what I teach working well at the end of the day,” he said.

WO2 Jaeger instructs in everything from static line jumps to training photographers for mid-air camera work.

Like many members at PTS, he feels a lot safer in the air with a parachute than flying somewhere and landing seated as a passenger.

Another 2500-plus military jump veteran at the school is WO2 Phil Thamm who has worked in rigger units for 25 years.

He has seen considerable changes to technology and instruction methods and is now considered one of the coolest characters in town.

It’s rumoured his heart rate actually goes down when he jumps.

Put your hand up
At 17, a young bloke will volunteer for anything and 600 jumps later, Cpl Jamie McCoy was glad he did.

Cpl McCoy is on his second posting to the school as a rigger and also works as a free-fall instructor.

“I love the instructing – you can see real clearly what you are producing,” he said.

As a new recruit at Kapooka, the call came for volunteers to be parachute riggers.

“I didn’t know anything about rigging but I volunteered for everything back then – I’m glad I did, now I love it,” he said.

Fellow rigger Sgt Sylvia McCormack, also with more than 600 jumps to her name, is the only military free-fall qualified female in the ADF and one of only five female riggers in the Army. At Kapooka, the then-Recruit McCormack was thinking about a career as a signaller but after seeing a female rigger on a recruiting video, thought jumping and working in the open would be much better.

Being a female instructor has surprised a few of her classes but that turns to respect long before students start their Caribou ascent to 10,000 feet.

“I recently saw a whale at Jervis Bay from about 3000 feet and thought this is definitely better than sitting behind a desk all day,” she said.

A little more action
By WO2 Phil Thamm
ADVENTURE training can take many forms, from bush walking to caving to abseiling.

But you don’t get much more adventurous than jumping out of a small plane at 10,000 feet, saving your life with a bit of nylon above your head.

Twelve members of HQ 7 Bde recently participated in sport parachuting at Willowbank drop zone near RAAF Amberley.

Before the first jump, members trained for eight hours on the ground.

On the first three jumps, two instructors hold onto the trainee for the 35 seconds of free fall.

The trainee then pulls his or her ripcord and controls the parachute to the ground under guidance from an instructor on the ground.

By jump number five the trainees are leaping out of the plane solo with the instructor only looking on and debriefing on the ground.

There are nine stages to the accelerated free fall training table and most trainees successfully complete these by the end of the week.

Keen skydiver and activity OIC Capt Neale McIver said the week was triumphant.

“It was great to see the trainees progress and achieve so much in such a short time – they all had fears at the start of the course but overcame these with confidence in themselves and their training,” he said.

Any unit wanting to conduct parachuting for adventure training can contact Capt B. Poole, President Australian Army Sports Parachute Association (AASPA) on (02) 4424 2120. AASPA can provide guidance and equipment.

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