They learn to control their parachutes while descending, and to carry out emergency measures such as untwisting their rigging lines, taking the necessary action on colliding with another parachutist, and landing in water.
Forward, side and backwards landings are practiced on a six-sided trapeze from which the trainees hang by their hands while being swung in the air.
Wearing a harness connected to a cable wound round a drum fitted with fan blades, trainees jump from a platform located near the roof of the hangar; as they fall, their rate of descent is controlled to simulate that of a parachute.
On successful completion of their four descents, trainees are presented with their 'wings'[2] by the Officer Commanding Airborne Delivery Wing, and return to their units as qualified parachutists.
The trainer consisted of a wooden cabin, mounted on a structure of girders, equipped with doors representing those on the port and starboard side of the Hercules.
Wearing harnesses suspended from them, trainees jumped from the trainer and traveled the length of the cables in a gradual descent towards the ground, where their progress is arrested by an instructor.
Thereafter, descents were made with equipment, initially in a single 'stick' of six, subsequently in simultaneous 'sticks' of eight or ten and finally in the maximum size of 'stick' possible, depending upon the number of personnel on the course.