– Cdt Sgt Marina Erturk, 214 Finchley Detachment
Early this year, I had the incredible opportunity to take part in a static line jumping course with my fellow cadets. We set off from Edgware in a minibus, full of excitement and nerves, heading to Netheravon. After a long journey, we arrived late in the evening and went straight to bed, knowing we had a full day of training ahead of us.
The next morning, we began our training, covering everything we needed to know to safely complete the jump. We learned the correct body position when exiting the plane, how to arch properly, check the canopy, and deal with any problems in the air. We also practiced what to do in case of a canopy malfunction and how to deploy the reserve parachute. Other key lessons included how to steer the parachute, how to use altitude to time when to land, and how to land safely. We practiced all of this using mock aircraft doors and parachute rigs, which really helped us get a feel for what to expect. Our instructor was patient and made sure we understood every step of the process.
At the end of the day, we sat a written test, which we all passed. Hearing that we were officially jumping the next day was a huge relief and really exciting. To celebrate, we went for fish and chips on Bournemouth beach and even dipped our toes in the freezing water. That night, we struggled to sleep because we were buzzing with anticipation for the jump.
The next morning, we had a quick 15-minute refresher on the drills and standard operating procedures before kitting up in our flight suits, parachutes, and helmets. Then came the moment we had all been waiting for; we made our way to the plane. Inside, we were packed together like sardines as the aircraft climbed to 4,000 feet. When the door opened, the view was breathtaking. Before I had time to overthink it, I was ushered to the door and jumped. The rush of adrenaline was like nothing I had ever experienced, and the feeling of falling before the parachute deployed was unreal. I was the first to jump, which meant I got to watch everyone else land and congratulate them as they touched down.
After we had all landed, we went back inside with our instructor to review footage of our jumps. It was hilarious seeing the faces we had made mid-air, and we all had a good laugh. We loved the experience so much that we decided to jump again. While waiting, we made sure to try Netheravon’s famous cheese toasties, which definitely lived up to its name. Strangely, the second jump was even more nerve-wracking because I knew exactly what to expect, but it was just as incredible.