CF Basic Parachutist - Q&A

[portcullisguy]

To wear the maroon beret, QY Rang Cdt, you must be in a Para coy.

In Reserveland, the Queen‘s Own Rifles are the only regt with a jump tasking, and therefore a jump coy. I heard a rumour that some other regiments were trying to get jump taskings, but that‘s all it was: rumour.

In Regforceland, I believe all three regiments have at least one Para coy. I don‘t know if it‘s one per battalion, or just one for the whole regt.

I‘ve heard of airborne arty and airborne armoured, but I have no clue if any of "those" types have a jump coy.

However, it is enough of an accomplishment just to do the jump course, in my un-winged opinion. Although I have never had the desire to prematurely leave the comfort of a perfectly good airplane, attached only to a patch of silk and strings, I have immense respect for any one crazy enough to attempt this.

 

[Aaron0304]

When I did my Para course we watched a video about what will happen during the course, does anyone know if its possible to find a copy of that video somewhere.

Also does anyone have any jump videos they would like to share?

 

[D-n-A]

dont know, but on a upcoming Truth Duty Valour, there gonna have a show on the Jump Course, close enough to what you want

 

[LowRider]

Hey fellas,just wanted to know if anyone has gone through the basic para course in Trenton?
I have the oppurtunity to go,and i was wondering how difficult the training is.

Thanks.

 

[Shulaev]

how long did you wait Lowrider before you applied yourself to the jumpcourse , i'll be with the ppcli so im just wondering

 

[ghazise]

I did watch the Truth Duty Valor video on the Canadain Para course, and the US Army Para course on Discovery, they looked pretty similar but watching the TDV video, it looked like the soldiers were jumping from a civilian plane??? Could anyone comment

 

[DOOG]

2FtOnion..
The Canadian Parachute Centre does indeed contract out some flying to civilian operators. A skydiving aircraft operator from North Carolina supplies the CPC with aircraft quite regularly. I know because we deal with the same people and have jumped from the same aircraft in my after work passtime. I don't know if they use them for static line stuff though. Did the picture you saw show freefall parachutists?

 

[alexk]

its still static line jumpers

the reason we keep out contracting is because we dont have enough working C-130's to do that

 

[PPCLI Guy]

it looked like the soldiers were jumping from a civilian plane??? Could anyone comment

The AF is madated to provide a certain number of Herc hours in support of Basic Parachute Training.  Due to optempo, they have ben unable to meet the demand.  For a while last year candidates on the Basic Para were returning to their units unqualifed, as the standard stated that a minimum of one jump had to be out of a Herc (the remaining jumps were from contracted civvie air).  Soldiers would complete the final jump whenever aircraft were available - and the TD expense was charged to the unit.  This was an extremely inefficient way to train soldiers.  Late last year the standard was changed, and now soldiers can earn their basic para qual completey from civvie aircraft.

We tried to have the AF pay for the civvie air (after all, they were unable to complete a mandated task that they were funded for (parts, POL etc) but didn't get anywhere.

 

[excoelis]

The A/C is a Casa 212 and the Twin Otter is used on occasion.

The Casa has been rigged with an anchor line cable for the dispatch of up to 12 Full eqpt Static line jumpers hooked up on the stbd side and departing via the center of the ramp.

Mil Freefall Para can fit up to 22 jumpers.

The biggest benefit by far is the basic para getting J-stage out off the way in a coupla days, and Mil Freefall candidates can amass 50 plus jumps in a couple of weeks, weather permitting of course.

The pilots are outstanding guys - very accomodating with our plans, and the turn around is incredibly fast.  Definitely 'bang for our buck'.

Tho only downfall to this choice of platform is realism, but IMHO the end justifies the means when used as a qualifying and currency platform.  The troops get the Hercules CC130 (full eqpt night jumps etc) with their units by way of BTATs, TATEXs, J-TATs, ConPara, etc.....

 

[brihard]

I've decided to start working my *** off in terms of exercise to get ready to take the para course in Trenton at some point this spring. Now, I understnad that it's 3 weeks long, but that's about all I know. Can someone who's taken the course tell me about the curriculum, the rough schedule, what an evaerage day is like, what the physical challegnes will be & how to prepare for it, and any other mischellaneous info that would help rpepare me? I'm serious about getting ready for this. Physically, I'm in decent shape. 5'9", 153lbs, I can run 2.4km in 9:18, and 5km in under 20 minutes. I can do ten chinups, and this is one of the primary things I'll be working on. I can do over 100 situps, and can do 50 or 60 pushups (the other thing I'm gonna primarily work on. Upper body strength in general). I was told the MINIMUM standards for the course physically, but I've been told that the min standard is pretty much a joke- I want to know what I should realistically be aiming for.

I don't expect it to be physically easy no matter how prepared I am, but it's a challenge I intend to meet. My biggest concern is learnign about how to prevent possible injuries on the course. I'll be working on my knee and ankle strength to help with that.

So anyway, any info on this course that people could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Brihard

 

[m_a_c]

This is the Canadian Parachute Centre web site

http://trenton.mil.ca/CPC/Courses.html

and this is the pdf describing the course

http://trenton.mil.ca/CPC/basicpara.pdf

for the first 2 weeks you will run, lots and lots of running, usually one run in the morning and and run at night everyday.  You also run everywhere while on course.  Except after meal times.  So the best thing to work on is running, along with everything else you are doing.  Hope this helps. 

 

[brihard]

Both those links are bad.  ??? Looks like the domain name isn't good anymore. Thanks for the bit about the running, though. Generally speaking, what is the length of the runs?

 

[m_a_c]

Sorry about that, I just realized those are from the DND intranet, and will not work outside of DND.  The runs are usually about 8-10km twice a day.  Hope this helps, if you get on the intranet those links will work. 

 

[KevinB]

When I showed up for mine I was 164lbs (stop laughing MJP, it was over 10years ago) I could do 17chins and a bunch of other stuff.
By end of week two I could barely pump off the required 7 entering and exiting the building.

Avergae day (for my course) started at a ridiculous ealrly time of 0 dark stupid and involves a run of typically as m_a_c suggested of 8-10 k sometime more if the WO was in the mood.  I did mine at CABC in Edmonton and we ran all over the base to and from meals and to and from classes.  After class was over for the day (1500 ish) we had a second PT period designed to wear the crap right our of you and for us was typically a 10 km run and some upper body PT as a cool down

First week is all ground school classes - aircraft, flight and landings. Flight sucks BTW - Second week was mock tower exits and our PO's on Aircraft, Flight, and Landings.  Week three is J stage.

 

[McAllister]

Just wondering what percentage of Reg force Infantry soldiers are airborne qualified? Thx.

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

Basic para or fully qualified?  Basic para would be hard to get stats on as many reservists and reg. force members are basic para qualified.  It's only those that are part of a para company that can have full qual's (white maple leaf as opposed to red maple leaf on their jump wings).  I'm leaving out alot of info. though.

 

[MJP]

Basic para or fully qualified?  Basic para would be hard to get stats on as many reservists and reg. force members are basic para qualified.  It's only those that are part of a para company that can have full qual's (white maple leaf as opposed to red maple leaf on their jump wings).

Paratroopers that wear the white wings are not qualified anymore than a soldier with red wings (although one could argue they are much more experienced)...it only means that they currently occupy a jump position, had occupied a jump position for more than a year (with an ex jump IIRC) or that that they were part of the CAR.  Any basic Para qualified guy can occupy a jump spot.

But you right I don't think it would be easy to get stats like what McAllister asked.

 

[Canadian.Trucker]

Paratroopers that wear the white wings are not qualified anymore than a soldier with red wings (although one could argue they are much more experienced)...it only means that they currently occupy a jump position, had occupied a jump position for more than a year (with an ex jump IIRC) or that that they were part of the CAR.   Any basic Para qualified guy can occupy a jump spot.

But you right I don't think it would be easy to get stats like what McAllister asked.

I thought though that the course they did had more jumps and as well different jumps too.  Not just static lines out of the back of a herc, but as well from Griffon or possibly freefall?  I just figured what they did was an advanced para course.

 

[MJP]

Nope. 

Griffon jumps(and other helos) is static line as well, but can be freefall if you have the course.

Freefall is a totally seperate course and is a specialty within the the para world but you don't need it to occupy a jump position.