Welcome to the adrenalin packed sport of skydiving!

So what happens when you have completed your RAPS course and first jump ?!
If you would like to do more jumps this is how to continue your training.

Jump tickets are priced at around £35.00 each ( this varies slightly depending on centre ).  The price includes equipment hire.

After each jump your Instructor will assess you and record your progress on your
log card/log book.  The content of each jump is determined by the previous one.  When your Instructor feels that you have mastered your aircraft exit and can control your fall you will move onto the next training exercise.

While still on ‘static line’ jumps you will move onto ‘dummy ripcord pulls’
( DRP’s for short ).  You will be trained to pull a dummy ripcord while maintaining a stable position.  To progress onto your first freefall jump you must pass 3 consecutive  DRP jumps.  You could be on your first freefall in as little as 5 jumps !

1st freefall jumps are from between 4,000 and 5,000ft.  After every 2 jumps you will be taken slightly higher and your freefall time will increase.  You will progress up to 10,000ft or more and you will learn to do controlled manoeuvres such as turns,
back-flips and ‘tracking’.

After a minimum requirement of 18 jumps and having completed each jump successfully you will gain your ‘Category Eight’ status. 
On completion of ‘Canopy Handling Level 1’ ( CH1 ) you will be awarded your
BPA ‘A’ License. 
This is recognised UK and World wide.

The BPA Category System

Category 1.  Simply requires you to complete the RAPS course and 1st static line jump successfully.

Category 2.  1 or 2 static line jumps demonstrating an ability to fall in a stable position, counting throughout. Canopy open by 3,000ft.

Category 3.  3 consecutive dummy ripcord pulls ( DRP’s ) counting and maintaining a stable body position. All jumps are still on the stactic line at this point and from the same altitude as previous jumps.

Category 4.  2 freefall descents of 3 to 5 seconds.  Your exit altitude increases by around 1,000ft.  First freefall must take place by the end of the day following your last DRP jump. You must join the BPA as a full member prior to your first freefall.

Category 5.  2 freefall descents of 10 seconds. These take place from the same altitude as category 4 jumps.

Category 6.  The ability to perform 2 consecutive delayed openings of 15 seconds and use an altimeter whilst in freefall.  Exit altitude is another 1,000ft higher.

Category 7.  Freefall descents with delayed openings of at least 20 seconds.  The ability to perform 360’ turns in both directions.  Exit altitude around 6,000ft.

Category 8.  Freefall descents from around 7,000ft and the ability to perform the following manoeuvres:
Unstable exit, Dive exit, Back loops, Tracking ( fast forward movement ) including a controlled turn whilst tracking.
Final qualifying descent including:
A backloop, 360’ left turn, 360’ right turn, tracking, track turns, signal of intention to pull with a wave off and deployment of canopy at the correct height.
From an exit altitude of 8,000ft or more.

On completion of this last level you will be given your ‘Category 8’ status.  On completion of Canopy Handling Level 1 ( CH1 ) you will be awarded your
BPA ‘A’ License.  This allows you to skydive with other people and is a recognised qualification around the world.