SASless,
yes the ever present danger of being dragged out of the door by the runaway para train meant that we did wear parachutes when engaged in static line parachuting from the para doors.
As for the story of the the Colonel departing the a/c early It is a story that I have never heard before. As we only opened the para doors for the drop at around the two minute point I wonder why the pilot felt it necessary to indulge in such steep turns. At this time the a/c should be straight and level on the run in to the DZ from the TAP. If this Colonel was the No 1 in the stick as suggested he would be stood in the door with the despatcher holding on to his harness awaiting the Red and Green. He could not have been 'leaping about all over the ship' . Given that he probably was not as current as his men I suggest his thoughts may have been elsewhere !
Last edited by ancientaviator62; 28th Oct 2018 at 08:52.