RAPS or Ram Air Progression System is a parachuting

Parachute

A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...

 training system designed to take a student from beginner to the FAI

Fédération Aéronautique Internationale

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...

 A License (or Category 8) using square ram air canopies.

System

The RAPS system was developed from the Static Line Rounds system. It enables a student to make their first jump on a square canopy which offers softer landings and is easier to control. In the early jumps the parachute is deployed automatically using a static line

Static line

A static line is a fixed cord attached to a large, stable object. It is used for safety in construction andto open parachutes automatically for paratroopers and novice parachutists.-Use in parachuting:...

, after proving basic proficiency the student can progress onto opening their own parachute and therefore experiencing freefall. The actual system varies from country to country but is in general based upon the following structure.

• Static Line
  • Basic Jumps - to prove the students ability to safely exit the aircraft, then fly and land a canopy. The student must be able to go into the stable arched position out of the aircraft before being progressed to Dummy Ripcord Pulls.
  • Dummy Ripcord Pulls (DPs) - the Student demonstrates the ability to pull a dummy ripcord
    Ripcord (skydiving)
    A ripcord is a part of a skydiving harness-container system; a handle attached to a steel cable ending in a closing pin. The pin keeps the container closed and keeps the spring-loaded pilot chute inside. When the ripcord is pulled, the container is opened and the pilot chute is released, opening...
    
     while still using the static line to actually deploy the canopy. Generally the student must perform three satisfactory DPs in sequence to be allowed to progress onto freefall. A successful DP is counted as one in which the student not only manages to pull the handle, but also manages to keep an arched position facing in the same direction as when they jumped.
• Freefall
  • Early Freefall - to prove the Student can successfully deploy a canopy in freefall (usually 3 to 5 seconds). In most systems the student must perform a 3 second freefall as their first jump, followed by a 5 second freefall. Assuming the student can remain stable enough for a successful deployment of the main parachute they will be progressed onto ten second delays.
  • 10 second delays - the student will jump and wait for 10 seconds before deploying their main parachute. This jump will be the first time a student experiences the full transition from falling vertically to falling "belly-to-earth". Typically a student must perform two stable delays of 10 seconds before progressing.
  • 15/20 second delays - gradually increasing freefall time (10 to 20 seconds) so the student can demonstrate stability for longer periods. It is at this stage that the student will first reach terminal velocity
    Terminal velocity
    In fluid dynamics an object is moving at its terminal velocity if its speed is constant due to the restraining force exerted by the fluid through which it is moving....
    
    . Usually on the second 15 second delay the student will be given a hand-mounted altimeter
    Altimeter
    An altimeter is an instrument used to measure the altitude of an object above a fixed level. The measurement of altitude is called altimetry, which is related to the term bathymetry, the measurement of depth underwater.-Pressure altimeter:...
    
    for the first time, and will pull either after 15 seconds or earlier if they fall to a determined height. The 20 second delay will almost always be performed with an altimeter, and the student will generally pull based on the reading of the altimeter rather than their own count at this stage.
  • Freefall skills - the student will be jumping from the full height that their dropzone allows, usually experiencing up to a minute of freefall. At this point each jump will involve the learning and practicing of a new maneuver, which are listed below.
    • Turns - the student learns to rotate on the spot whilst falling
    • Tracking - the student learns to move through the air horizontally
    • Dive exit - the student learns to dive from the plane into the stable position - after this jump they will no longer exit in the standard student position (sitting or standing on a step)
    • Unstable exit - the student will be made to exit the aircraft unstable and hold this position for a short time, after which they will demonstrate the ability to go stable before deploying their parachute
    • Backloop - the student learns to do what is basically a backflip whilst falling
    • Track turns - the student learns to turn as they track in a specific direction
  • Final Qualifying Jump - The student has to perform one final qualifying jump to demonstrate the skills they have learnt all the skills from previous jumps. This must begin with a dive exit, contain two 360 degree turns, a backloop and a demonstration of tracking. After this the student is progressed to Category 8, and can attain their A licence once they have completed the Canopy Handling 1 qualification.