Round Canopy parachuting team - usa

Current and Qualified Parachutists:
RCPT Member, military or government trained parachutists, or approved civilian steerable round canopy static line jump program graduate, who have jumped a round steerable canopy, with one (1) round canopy static line parachute jump within the last 240 days are eligible to jump at RCPT-USA events (excluding airshows). 

Jumpers who have jumped a steerable round canopy before, and have jumped a round canopy static line parachute between 241 days and 2 years ago will be required to take Basic Airborne Refresher (BAR) prior to jumping with RCPT-USA.  BAR is for jumpers who have jumped within the last two years, but not within the last 240 days.

Jumpers who are more than two years out of currency, have not jumped with steerable round canopies, or have not jumped with RCPT or the US military within the last five years may be required to take a more extensive Extended Airborne Refresher (EAR), and may be required to make more than one jump to regain currency.

 Airshow Requirements:

US Airshows -- Jumpers must be RCPT members, have jumped within the last 90 days a parachute of the same type as will be used at the airshow, have completed at least 35 static line round canopy parachute jumps in the past (not necessarily with RCPT-USA), have a current (less than two years old) RCPT-USA Medical Clearance Form on file with RCPT-USA, have the appropriate uniform for the airshow (generally M42 jump uniform, M1C paratrooper helmet with swivel bale and concussion pad, and brown jump boots), be approved by the team for that airshow (including possibly demonstrating sufficient accuracy), and any other requirements the Airborne Commander (ABC) for the airshow puts out.

Foreign Airshows (Normandy, Netherlands, Canada, etc.) -- as put out by the airshow coordinator for that airshow.  May include different currency requirements, different total jump requirements, inusrance requirements, etc.

Basic Jump and Extended Refresher Candidates:

    If you are a previously trained jumper registering for the EAR, we will need either a copy of your DD-214, airborne training certificate, hazardous duty (jump) orders, or parachutist badge orders showing you are airborne qualified. Additionally, we encourage you to send jump logs to help the cadre assess your level of experience.

     Candidates may NOT BE over the age of 65 without an RCPT-USA waiver.  Candidate over 55 need their primary care provider to sign off on the RCPT-USA Medical Clearance Form. It can be found on the website in the members resource area. You must submit a copy of this form prior to the start of training.

     We fully understand the warrior spirit and your desire to parachute. That’s why we’re all here! It isn’t just about your desire to jump though. We take your safety very seriously. Unfortunately, injuries are not always avoidable and affect not only the jumper, but everyone involved. We are asking you to take a good hard look at yourself and ensure you are not only mentally prepared to train but that you are physically able to train.

    We ask that all jumpers, at a minimum, ensure they are physically capable of performing the following essential tasks in order to safely participate in round canopy parachuting activities:

  - Weigh no more than 240 lbs.
  - Jump down from a 24 inch tall platform and roll onto the ground.
  - Recover to a standing position from lying face up, without assistance or difficulty.  
  - Raise arms over head to reach, firmly grasp and pull a steering toggle or riser (+/-10 lbs of force).
  - Carry one’s own parachute equipment unassisted (weighing ∼50 lbs).  
  - Be able to transfer from sitting on the ground to standing, stand for ∼15 minutes at a time and walk for a distance of ∼100 yards while wearing one’s own parachute equipment.

International Guests:
If you are an international RCPT member, foreign jumpmaster, or have graduated from an allied military training course and wish to jump with RCPT-USA, please contact us about qualifications and currency. We do have many international members, this is not a barrier to participation and you are welcome to attend our events!

Jumpmaster Requirements:

RCPT-USA has three pathways to becoming an RCPT-USA JM.  All JMs must be members of the team and participate at least annually in RCPT-USAs JM refresher (JMR) and standardization course held during our semi-annual training events.  

Potential RCPT-USA JMs must be team members and have jumped with RCPT-USA prior to attending any JMR.  JMs should be familiar with RCPT-USA’s Airborne Standard Operating Procedures (ASOP)(see: Members Resources section).   JMR is used as our onboarding process for incoming JMs, even if they are current from their source organization.

Accepted forms of JM training:

1- have attended a US Army JM Course

2- Complete the RCPT-USAs JM course-  RCPT-USA JM course is a self paced program which follows DoD guidelines and require candidates to demonstrate competency in all aspects of an airborne operation.

3- Provide proof of training from an approved JM program outside of the DoD and meet our onboarding criteria.  Non-DOD trained JMs must demonstrate competency by challenging the testing requirements required of RCPT-USAs JM candidates.

Once this task has been satisfactorily completed, JM's may be allowed to perform JM duties during RCPT-USA events.