Case Studies

The Quartermaster Corps And Early Aerial Delivery

With the 1947 separation of the Army and Navy it was decided that the parachute packing, maintenance and equipment repair, along with research and training development would be the mission of the United States Army. The mission was assigned to Quartermaster Corps, the Army’s oldest logistics branch. This newly formed Army airborne division established its […]

Airdrop And The Birth Of The US Air Force

In the beginning of the Army paratrooper movement most paratroopers packed and maintained their parachute themselves. As World War II took its course and the airborne units continued to rapidly expand, the need for a parachute packing course increased. By the time five new Airborne divisions were created, a new parachute packing and maintenance training […]

Industry Partners: Parachute Industry Association

This month many of our articles have dealt with personal parachutes and the history of military airdrop. We chose this theme to lead into one of the most important parachute events of the year. The Parachute Industry Association Symposium. Capewell is a proud member of PIA and will be joining our industry partners in Daytona […]

What Is A Jumpmaster?

Jumpmasters are US Army’s expert Paratroopers in an Airborne unit who train and teach the Army techniques for jumping from airplanes. They are responsible for transforming Soldiers who enter Army Airborne School into Paratroopers and managing Airborne jump operations in Airborne units across all branches of services. The jumpmaster has many critical duties and responsibilities, […]

The First Airborne Infantry “Test Platoon”

In late June of 1940, the US War Department finally followed suit of many other countries and created an Airborne Infantry “Test Platoon” at Fort Benning, GA. This test platoon was composed of 2 officers and 48 enlisted soldiers from Fort Benning’s 29th Infantry Regiment. The first Lieutenant William T. Ryder was the test platoon’s […]

Parachutes: The Very Beginning

The term Parachute comes from the Greek para meaning “against,” and French chute meaning “fall.” The hybrid definition of parachute literally means “that which protects against a fall,” coined by French aviation pioneer Jean-Pierre Blanchard. Long before the idea of safely dropping people and items out of the sky, Leonardo da Vinci drew his famous […]

Types Of Military Jumps

Parachutes are a critical technology used by the military in delivering personnel and cargo supplies. The United States formed its first parachute test platoon of airborne infantry in the 1940’s. Since then parachuting technology has continually advanced as well as the way in which paratroopers jump from an aircraft. There are a few basic types […]

What Is Joint Precision Airdrop?

A precision airdrop is simply a science and technology effort directed at increasing cargo airdrop accuracy and survivability from high altitudes. U.S. military services have combined resources in an effort to pursue the Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS). JPADS integrates the Army’s Extended Glide Airdrop System (PEGASYS) with the Air Force’s Precision Airdrop System (PADS). […]

What Is A Loadmaster?

A loadmaster is an active aircrew member who is responsible for loading and unloading cargo, vehicles and people on aircrafts and aircraft systems. It is important that a loadmaster has a good mathematical mind in order to accurately plan and arrange the cargo on the aircraft and ensure the comfort and safety of the passengers. […]

What Is Aerial Delivery?

Aerial delivery is another term for the air drop of cargo, vehicle, equipment, and even people to a desired location on the ground. Because most threats to the military are on the ground, modern technology lends itself to aircraft airdrop at high altitudes and out of harm’s way. It allows a unit on the ground […]

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