Registration Open
OPERATION SANDSNAKE IX
March 24-30, 2025
Hosted by RCPT-USA
Main Aircraft - C-47
C-47 Static Line Jump- $50.00
Event Registration includes Event T-Shirt and dinner Saturday evening 29 March 2025.
Free parking
Tour a WWII Veteran C-47 Tico Belle!
Tandem and Skydive Opportunities with Skydive Palatka.
Guest Speaker: MOH Earl Plumlee
Schedule of Event:
- 24 March 2025 (Monday)- JM refresher (invitation only - no students or straphangers!)
- 25 March 2025 (Tuesday)- BPC and EAR course begins (0730hrs)
- 27-30 March 2025 (Thursday-Sunday)- Open jump operations with C47 Tico Belle
- 29 March 2025 (Saturday) - Dinner and awards ceremonies
Online registration for jumps will close 20 March 2025, In person registration available during the event.
All Current Jumpers ("Straphangers") - Event Registration Fee - $60 (Dinner at the hanger on Saturday, logistics, and t-shirt). Jump Opportunities: We will have several round jumps every day Friday through Sunday. We may have jump opportunities Tuesday - Thursday - students have priority! C47 jumps will be $50.00 per jump, Caravan/PAC jumps are $45 per jump, Cessna 182 jumps are $25 per jump. Chute rental is $50 for the entire event and repacks are $25 each. If you own your own parachute and plan on making multiple jumps a day, you are strongly encouraged to rent a second parachute to prevent delays due to packing.
Training is for members only, membership registration must be completed separately.
JM Refresher (JMR) - Arrive NLT 0700 Monday. Attendees by Invitation only. No students or straphangers!
Basic Parachuting Course (BPC) - $750 Arrive NLT 0730 Tuesday ready to train with all documentation on hand (Medical if required etc.) Training available to members only; to register candidates must join the team prior to registering for course. This 5-day course teaches the basics of jumping with a static line steerable round parachute. You will be instructed on the use of the SF-10A and MC1-1C parachute. Instruction will include equipment familiarization, actions in the aircraft, actions during descent, landing techniques, the basics of round canopy control, and emergency procedures. After completing ground training, you will conduct 3 jumps from a Cessna 182 and 2 jumps from the event special contracted air frame. The course price includes professional instruction, all jump fees, parachute and helmet rental, parachute packing tickets, and lunches during training. After completing the basic parachuting course, you will receive your RCPT-USA wings. Lunches are included on training days for students as well as event registration fee for the weekend.
Extended Airborne Refresher (EAR) - $350 Arrive NLT 0730 Tuesday ready to train with all documentation on hand (Proof of Training, jump logs, Medical if required, etc.) Training available to members only, to register candidates must join the team prior to registering for course. This 2 jump Refresher Course is for jumpers who have been to a Basic Airborne Course and ANY of the following applies:
- Have not jumped round static line canopy within the last two years or
- Are not experienced with steerable canopies, or
- Have not jumped round static line canopy with RCPT or another recognized organization (NATO military, ADT, LJT, X-35, etc.) within the last 5 years.
This course is also suitable for qualified free fall jumpers wishing to transition to round static line steerable canopies. This 3 day course runs congruently with the BPC and will update the jumper on current SF-10A parachute systems, jump procedures, and prepare them for 2 jumps at the end of the course from a Cessna 182. The course price includes professional instruction, all jump fees, parachute and helmet rental, parachute packing tickets, and lunches during training. At the conclusion of the Extended Airborne Refresher the jumper is current and is free to manifest and jump at the event at the same cost as a strap hanger (jumps/parachute rentals/re-packs paid separately). Lunches are included on training days for students as well as event registration fee for the weekend.
Basic Airborne Refresher (BAR) – (Conducted Friday) Basic Airborne Refresher is for already qualified static line round canopy jumpers who are either current military round static line jumpers who need to be trained on the MIRPS-SLCP reserve, or who have not jumped with 240 days and ALL of the following applies:
- Have jumped round static line canopy within the last two years and
- Are experienced with steerable canopies, and
- Have jumped with RCPT or another RCPT recognized organization (NATO military, ADT, LJT, X-35, etc.) within the last 5 years.
This course will update the jumper on current SF-10A canopies and jump procedures, and the MIRSP-SLCP reserve to prepare them for a jump (not included) at the end of the course. Jumpers are still responsible for the straphanger event fee.
NOTE: Current SL steerable round canopy jumpers do not need to join the team in order to straphang at our events however, anybody desiring to attend the BPC or the EAR must be a team member. Join the team prior to attempting to register for a course. You must pay for event at time of registration or your registration will be cancelled after 15 minutes. In order to guarantee your slot in a course you must pay the registration fee. If the course you need is full, please register on the waitlist; if someone drops out and can not attend we will add new registrants from the waitlist.
LOGISTICS:
Lodging options - Camping at the DZ (there is space for tents or RVs at Skydive Palatka $5.00 nightly fee). Lodging options include Holiday Inn Express Palatka, 3813 Reid St, Palatka, FL 32177 PH# (386) 325-2500. Holiday Inn Express is 1 mile from DZ (if available ask for skydiver discount), Hampton Inn (Hilton) 100 Memorial Pkwy, Palatka, FL 32177 (386) 530-2420, Best Western 119 Hwy 17, East Palatka, FL 32131 (386) 325-7800, Crystal Cove Resort 133 Crystal Cove Drive, Palatka, Florida 32177 (368) 325-1055, and VRBO/AirBnB have many decent houses around Palatka at great prices for the week. If we did not list a hotel, that hotel is not recommended for lodging.
Arrivals: Nearest airports are Gainesville (GNV) and Jacksonville (JAX). Let us know your flight plans, so we can help link up travelers for car-pooling to and from the airport.
Homework: If you are interested in looking over RCPT-USA documents and SOPs they can be found on the website in the Member Documents area https://rcptusa.org/members.
Clothing: Any style military field uniform is fine, but you can wear any long sleeve, long pants, and over the ankle boot ensemble you like. Participants typically wear service specific ACU/OCP type uniforms as well as WWII style M1942 uniforms and flight suits. Suitable helmets include the Pro-Tec, Crye, Ops-Core FAST (ballistic and bump), Team Wendy, PT Alpha/Bravo; RCPT also has some helmets for use. Airsoft helmets are not suitable for parachuting.
RCPT-USA reserves the right to refuse service to any person, Member or Non-Member at any RCPT-USA event.