Do USNA midshipmen have to parachute out of airplanes

Only parachuting a midshipmen would encounter would be if it were a part of a summer training program and given the opportunity to earn their "jump wings" ... and very few midshipmen are given that chance.
 
there is actually a USNA Parachute Team, consisting of mids. they do demo jumps at various events and airshows, the Dant jumped with them recently.
 
They dont jump out of planes in Air Force UPT (flight training) so I cant imagine you would need to in order to graduate from USNA
 
Not a requirement. Mids can jump with the USNA parachute team if they want to join that ECA. Mids can compete to attend the Army’s Airborne school during the summer. Mids would have to volunteer for either of these opportunities.
 
Actual jumps aren't even required as part of flight training. Pensacola has all kinds of devices that simulate parachute entry into water, dragging in a chute and ditching in the water. I recall we actually did a helo hoist to learn recovery. Imagine an old tender dropping Ensigns in Escambia Bay at 50 yard intervals; UH-1 Huey flying by , hoisting and dropping us back in the water , then going on to the next one...we spent a few hours floating in the Bay in full flight gear waiting for the whole class to get picked up, then the tender came back and picked us up. It was great fun, but I wonder if they do that in todays zero defect, risk adverse environment.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Actual jumps aren't even required as part of flight training. Pensacola has all kinds of devices that simulate parachute entry into water, dragging in a chute and ditching in the water. I recall we actually did a helo hoist to learn recovery. Imagine an old tender dropping Ensigns in Escambia Bay at 50 yard intervals; UH-1 Huey flying by , hoisting and dropping us back in the water , then going on to the next one...we spent a few hours floating in the Bay in full flight gear waiting for the whole class to get picked up, then the tender came back and picked us up. It was great fun, but I wonder if they do that in todays zero defect, risk adverse environment.
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Yeah we don't do anything in the bay anymore. All of the water stuff is done in the pool with the hoists, helo dunker, etc. The most dynamic PLF we do is on a zip line from a platform and we got dragged through the dirt by our classmates sled dog style.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Actual jumps aren't even required as part of flight training. Pensacola has all kinds of devices that simulate parachute entry into water, dragging in a chute and ditching in the water. I recall we actually did a helo hoist to learn recovery. Imagine an old tender dropping Ensigns in Escambia Bay at 50 yard intervals; UH-1 Huey flying by , hoisting and dropping us back in the water , then going on to the next one...we spent a few hours floating in the Bay in full flight gear waiting for the whole class to get picked up, then the tender came back and picked us up. It was great fun, but I wonder if they do that in todays zero defect, risk adverse environment.
Click to expand...

What I didn’t like was the dunker training where you had to put on the blacked out googles and had to get out by feel. To add to the difficulty, they wouldn’t allow you to go out the nearest door or window. In order to pass, you had to go out the exit they told you to use. I’m not a strong swimmer at all, so my heart rate was going overtime.
 
GoCubbies said:
Old Navy BGO said:
Actual jumps aren't even required as part of flight training. Pensacola has all kinds of devices that simulate parachute entry into water, dragging in a chute and ditching in the water. I recall we actually did a helo hoist to learn recovery. Imagine an old tender dropping Ensigns in Escambia Bay at 50 yard intervals; UH-1 Huey flying by , hoisting and dropping us back in the water , then going on to the next one...we spent a few hours floating in the Bay in full flight gear waiting for the whole class to get picked up, then the tender came back and picked us up. It was great fun, but I wonder if they do that in todays zero defect, risk adverse environment.
Click to expand...

What I didn’t like was the dunker training where you had to put on the blacked out googles and had to get out by feel. To add to the difficulty, they wouldn’t allow you to go out the nearest door or window. In order to pass, you had to go out the exit they told you to use. I’m not a strong swimmer at all, so my heart rate was going overtime.
Click to expand...

Ah, the good ol' Helo dunker ... (actual had a formal name with a bunch of numbers and something like "multiplace egress trainer"). A a P-3 guy, I got to requal several times. I wasn't at all bothered by the blackout or going out designated exits/windows (grab a reference point, go hand over hand...). The hardest part was avoiding getting kicked in the head by the other 8-10 people in the dunker with you. Good times !

And to turn this thread into helpful advice for those who may go NavAir.... 1) It helps to be comfortable in the water. A good portion of Aviation Indoctrination (AI, or whatever they call it now) is spent going through devices dreamed up by some mad scientist to increase your chances of the survival in the event of a water landing. and 2) If you find yourself in the helo dunker, wait until your head is about to go under before you take that last breathe and hold it. The dunker hits the water and rolls one way or another, so it may take up to a minute for it to fill with water and come to a stop (when you are allowed to release the harness and egress). Don't be like that dumb Ensign 30ish years ago that started holding is breath when the dunker first hit the water, and was already about 45 seconds in before his head went under water. (I only did that once :(),
 
Some may think that the 10m platform jump into the pool is like jumping out of a plane....DS wanted to do it again [emoji51]
 
justdoit19 said:
Some may think that the 10m platform jump into the pool is like jumping out of a plane....DS wanted to do it again [emoji51]
Click to expand...

That’s about right. Studies show 34ft is the “magic” height that people will let fear of heights negatively affect them. If you can will yourself to jump at 34ft, then the chances of being a “jump refusal” at 1200ft out of moving airplane is decreased exponentially.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
Ah, the good ol' Helo dunker ... (actual had a formal name with a bunch of numbers and something like "multiplace egress trainer"). A a P-3 guy, I got to requal several times. I wasn't at all bothered by the blackout or going out designated exits/windows (grab a reference point, go hand over hand...). The hardest part was avoiding getting kicked in the head by the other 8-10 people in the dunker with you. Good times !

And to turn this thread into helpful advice for those who may go NavAir.... 1) It helps to be comfortable in the water. A good portion of Aviation Indoctrination (AI, or whatever they call it now) is spent going through devices dreamed up by some mad scientist to increase your chances of the survival in the event of a water landing. and 2) If you find yourself in the helo dunker, wait until your head is about to go under before you take that last breathe and hold it. The dunker hits the water and rolls one way or another, so it may take up to a minute for it to fill with water and come to a stop (when you are allowed to release the harness and egress). Don't be like that dumb Ensign 30ish years ago that started holding is breath when the dunker first hit the water, and was already about 45 seconds in before his head went under water. (I only did that once :(),
Click to expand...

And if you go helos you get oxygen when you requal. Makes it markedly easier.
 
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