Exhibition Jump Rating
One of the most rewarding and ambassadorial aspects of skydiving is the 'demo' or exhibition jump. For the jumpers it is an opportunity to share their colorful and exciting sport with the mainstream public, and perhaps, even receive compensation! Demo jumps also serve to bring modem knowledge of our sport to the public, providing the opportunity to educate, entertain, and reinforce a positive image of skydiving.
Of course, with this increased reward, there is an increase in risk. It is common knowledge in the entertainment industry that the performance is different from the rehearsal; this is equally true in exhibition jumping. Although you have jumped hundreds or even thousands of times at several different drop zones you will still find that performance anxiety increases when jumping before live audiences and/or television cameras. Even if the proposed landing zone is completely free of obstacles and larger than the drop zone you normally use, jumping before the public is NOT just another skydive! Mess up a landing at the drop zone, it costs maybe a case of beer. Mess up at a demo, and you will be vulnerable to everything from the ridicule of your peers to litigation.
Who qualifies?
To be eligible for the EJR you must have the following qualifications:
- current CSPA affiliation
- a minimum of 500 ram-air parachute jumps
- a CSPA/FAI “C” or higher Certificate of Proficiency
- a minimum of 50 parachute jumps within the previous 12 months
How do you obtain an EJR?
To obtain an EJR you must not only be a current parachutist, demonstrating your personal ability to an EJR examiner, but you must also be familiar with the planning and preparation which forms part of a successful exhibition jump. You must:
- score at least 22/27 correct answers on the EJR written exam, and
- perform 10 consecutively pre-planned jumps. Each landing must be standing up, and the jumper must make first contact and stop within a 10 metre diameter circle. These pre-planned accuracy jumps must be witnessed and signed as follows:
- Jump #1 – 7 (by a Coach 2 or EJR Examiner)
- Jump #8 – 10 (by an EJR Examiner)
Pre-planned means that before each qualifying jump you must declare to the EJR Examiner that it will be an EJR qualification jump, landing within a designated 10 metre circle.
Consecutively applies to the pre-planning only. So, other jumps may be made between the qualifying jumps as the examiner may not be available each time you jump; or other reasons may make it impractical for you to perform the 10 qualifying jumps within a defined time period.
This also means that if one of the 10 pre-planned qualifying jumps results in a miss, i.e. you fall down, land outside the designated 10 metre circle or have first contact within the designated area but land outside, then it’s back to the beginning. None of the previous qualifying jumps count and you are required to start over from jump number one.
Witness means that the EJR Examiner must observe the jump and indicate this on the candidate’s application form (jump number, date, canopy type, initials, etc.).
THE INITIAL EJR ADMINISTRATION FEE IS $50 (see below)
For what period of time is the EJR valid?
The EJR is normally validated for a one year period and must be revalidated each year when you renew your CSPA affiliation, or you will be charged a $10 revalidation fee. Revalidation requirements are:
- current CSPA affiliation
- 50 parachute jumps within the previous 12 months—10 of which must have been within a designated 5 metre circle, using a main parachute which meets the wing loading and performance characteristics of the parachute intended for use on any exhibition jumps.
- if requested, photocopies of logbook verifying required jumps have been performed
- verification by an EJR Examiner
Who may act as Exhibition Jump Rating Examiners?
- Skydive School Examiner (Must have active EJR)
- Coach “2”s (Must have active EJR)
- CSPA Judges (for jump verification/signoff only)