THE CATEGORY SYSTEM There are 8 levels or 'categories' in the system. Category 1 is your ground training; categories 2 and 3 are static line jumps. The same type as your first jump where the parachute is deployed automatically for you. You do another 2 good stable jumps before you move onto what is called 'dummy pulls'. Here you practice the pulling of a dummy ripcord that's attached to your harness in preparation for your first freefall jump. Do 3 good ones and you are ready for the thrill of a lifetime - your first freefall jump! Categories 4-8 are all freefall. In these exercises you will progressively learn all the solo basics of freefall parachuting such as stability, turns, dive exits, back somersaults and tracking across the sky. Your initial freefall delays builds up progressively from 3 seconds, to 5, 10, 15, 20 seconds and up to beyond 30 seconds. Once you've completed this training you'll be free to participate in the wider aspects of the sport. All this can be accomplished in as little as 35 to 40 jumps. Despite it being classed as training you'll not find any of these exercises tedious or boring. Far from it, once you've experienced the sensation of freefall you'll find every jump so exciting you'll hardly think of it as training. It's simply great fun. Once you have qualified as Category 8 you are no longer classed as a student but as an intermediate parachutist which allows you get onto even more fun things!.