Pathfinder Teuge

Pathfinder basic minimum requirement course.

Dutch B wing.

Venue The Dutch National Para Centrum Teuge Holland.

Basic Training System Syllabus

1. Orientation and documentation.

2. Familiarisation with and Fitting of Equipment

3. After Landing Procedures

4. Exit positions

5. Aircraft Drills and Emergency Drills.

6. Malfunctions and Reserve Procedures

7. Canopy Control and Flight Drills.

8. Abnormal Landings.

9. Landing, Including practical Parachute Landing Fall (PLF)

training.

10. Written Examination.

Please note once a Course/Event or a deposit has been paid it cannot be refunded

Quick links

Audio file ( First Jump )

Military Demonstration Team

Charity Parachuting: Raising Funds for Charity

Projected program.

Students arrive Sunday and documentation is completed.

Monday. Ground training commences. By Monday afternoon the first Chalk (Aircraft load) is expected to be ready to jump subject to the students ability to complete the training tasks to the satisfaction senior Instructor/ Jump master. Parachute Packing lessons.

Tuesday. Remedial/Refresher training for any student who requires it. Jump program and Parachute Packing. A minimum of one jump per student to made.

Wednesday. Parachute jump program and Parachute Packing. A minimum of one jump per student to be made.

Thursday. Parachute jump program and Parachute Packing. A minimum of one jump per student to be made.

Friday. Parachute jump program and Parachute Packing. A minimum of one jump per student to be made. Clear up. Parachutes packed and handed in. Wings presentation. End EX.

It is possible for students to stay an extra night at the centre if its impractical to travel due to the possible late finish of the course. This will be up to the student to arrange at the time with the Parachute centre.

Dutch National Para centre Teuge

and the home of the Pathfinder Parachute Group Europe.


1. Orientation and documentation.
Entrance	Bunk rooms
toilet and shower facilities.	Classroom briefing.
2. Familiarisation with and Fitting of Equipment
How to wear the MC-1C and reserve.	This is the MC-1C
Exit Positions.
Introduction to our two Aircraft We teach both a 'Sit-down' and a 'Stand up' military exit enabling our jumpers to be experienced in both types of exit. This enables us to use most types of aircraft for Parachute drops.
Cessna 208 'Caravan'	Antonov AN2 'Colt' former Soviet Block Paratrooper training aircraft.
Introduction to the Reserve Parachute and Emergency drills

Practicing the 'stand up' exit utilising the hanger door as a training aid.	Practicing Parachute Landing Falls.
Confirming the PLF positions	The Trapeze helps the student confirm their PLF position.
The suspended harness system enables the student to perfect their canopy handling and Parachute emergency drills	The course has a meal before the first jump.
Dragging drills	Students are taught to lay out the DZ so they know what to expect to see below them on the ground
Monday Afternoon.
Draw Equipment	fit equipment
Equipment check.	Using an aerial photograph of the airfield Ian briefs the First time jumpers on obstacles and wind direction.
First 'Chalk' walking out to the AN2.	First jumpers out.
Almost down.
And down.	after landing drills.
you have just got to pose for that photo.	DZ RV point.
You jumped it so now is the time to learn to pack it....
Your canopy is stretched out and checked for damage.	then the canopy is flaked out and ready to be check.
stowing the canopy.	stowing the rigging lines.

Sometimes you work late to repack the chutes for the following day. Everything stops for the evening meal and then its time for that first pint. All war stories must now start with the sentence "No shit, there I was. I thought I was going to die"...and then you tell the rest of the story.

Tuesday
After an early breakfast it skit on and waiting for the second jump of the course.	Sometimes there can be a bit of a wait.
Now its that long walk again....Some of our experienced jumpers turn up to make up the Stick numbers and to boost your confidence.	Action Stations. Every jumper will tell you the second jump is the worst.
This is now fun. You have conquered your fear and your now getting into Parachuting.
Now PLF has taken on a new meaning. Pack like F***k. Everyone packs as quick as they can so they can get up on the next lift. You now have the bug.	Everyone helps everyone else and the instructors fuss over the students making sure everything is OK before the next jump of the day.

Wednesday. Your doing well and you have cracked the two jump hurdle. Today you change aircraft and get taught a different exit. Many countries basic Parachute courses use only civilian light aircraft so we teach both exits so there are no surprises if you continue in the sport.
The jumpers are visibly more relaxed and confident.	Emplaning .
	Inside the Cessna
Moving to your despatch station.	Last man....er!... Woman out.
Jumpers view on exit.
get up and run around your canopy to collapse it.	Pack like F**k again.
Your there !	More war stories on the patio.
Thursday. Now everyone is keen to get on with it and are waiting for the days jumping to start
	Then a rush of activity and the first stick is ready to go.

Friday Today you completed your last jump making the five you needed to qualify for your Dutch B wing. Simon Woerlee ,the camp commandant usual presents the wings and certificate himself

For every jumper this is a proud moment and one you have earned. You have conquered your fear and put your trust in a Parachute to save your life. This is now your sport and if you wish to continue we at Pathfinder will give you every opportunity. Now it gets exciting.

Simon presenting Eric with his Dutch wings.
END EX. Now the adventure begins.....

	Dutch B Wing

Military Demonstration Team This part of Pathfinder appeals more to the Paratroopers amongst us. We were asked many years ago to jump onto an area of grassy fields to one side of the town of Den Burg in the North of Holland for a VE day celebrations. It was there we had the idea of forming our group
AN2 'Colt' Exit over Teuge, Holland	Wings collecting the hard way This part of Pathfinder is really in two sections. There are those of us who are badge collectors and jump around the world on other countries Parachute course to gain their wings. Its one thing to go into an army surplus store and purchase a set of wings to add to your collection but to go to that country, train with their Paratroopers, eat and drink with them. Jump using their equipment and aircraft and to be presented with their wings afterwards is firstly a great honour and secondly is so much more satisfying. If your a Paratrooper its one thing but for those of our group who were not paratroopers, to be allowed to experience the end product is a great honour and one not lost on our jumpers. You will never hear a Pathfinder jumper tell someone he is a Paratrooper if he has not completed his countries selection course and jumped the minimum required parachute jumps to gain their wings. They refer to themselves as Military Trained Parachutist and they are rightly proud of that title. Jumping round parachutes is a lot harder than Ram Air or Square Parachutes and takes a different type of bottle. They don't jump at night, they don't jump with a weapons container and they don't jump low level. Having said that some of our jumpers have attended foreign Para courses where they have been allowed to do just that.It still does not make them paratroopers but at least they now understand why we have the mind set that we do.
Keeping alive the memories of our veterans sacrifices for freedom. Pathfinder members jump over Ginkle Heath, Holland, 2008	Exit over the Engineers memorial during the Arnhem Anniversary display. Holland
Then you have the other section of Pathfinder that jumps in WW2 Allied uniforms sometimes onto war time Drop Zones that have not been jumped on since 1944 or in the case of the John Frost Bridge had never been jumped onto by a round Parachute. Pathfinder made history by being the first group of our type to be invited to jump there. We have re-enacted SOE jumps in the Alps and recently in Poland, Allied Para drops at Normandy in France and Arnhem in Holland. We realise what a great honour this is to be allowed to jump on such hallowed ground and try to do justice to the memory of those that went before us.	Pathfinder jumpers exit over DZ N Normandy in 2004.
Through our vast array of Military contacts around the world we are able to attend many Foreign military Parachute courses . The list is growing all the time. If you think this is for you feel free to contact me or surf the web site for more information. Check the history pages to see what we have done in the past and this will give you a good idea of what you could be doing in the future.