RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team to appear at the 2016 Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup Final
Cowdray Park Polo Club is delighted to be welcoming the UK’s premier military parachute display team, The RAF Falcons, to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup Final on Sunday 17th July when they will be continuing their display season in spectacular style by jumping into West Sussex at the 2016 Final of the Polo Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship.
With the international stars of the game in action in the incomparable setting of Cowdray Park’s famous ‘Lawns’, the event draws in polo aficionados from all over the globe, and the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team is likely to be a thrilling and popular addition to the afternoon’s entertainment.
The RAF Falcons are the military’s premier parachute display team based at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, and consists of 15 members, including 10 display jumpers. In October they introduced 4 new enthusiastic team members for the 2016 Display season.
The RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team has been conducting highly professional and challenging descents from up to 12000ft for over 50 years. They descend from the skies at speeds of up to 120 mph. With skill and professionalism, they fly a close proximity, non-contact canopy stack formation. The Parachute Jumping Instructors (PJIs) and engineering personnel on the team have been specifically selected for their roles. Team members are drawn from the wider cadre of RAF Physical Training Instructors and Training Officers and Survival Equipment Fitters, who are dedicated to delivering the UK military parachuting capability. For both day and night, parachutists are all qualified to jump 25,000ft and down to a minimum of 600ft, relying on the Service’s advanced, covert aerial equipment.
Corporal Alistair Donald, who hails from Midhurst and is in his first year with the team, said: “It is a very steep learning curve initially, but I feel proud to represent the Royal Air Force whilst jumping into West Sussex for the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup Final 2016, under the red, white and blue canopy!”
With Penny Farthing polo as a morning attraction, all day shopping in the busy retail village, bars, food, a children’s mini funfair, the spectacular parachute jump and the high octane Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup Polo Final, Cowdray Park Polo Club will be offering a superb day’s entertainment on 17th July. Entry tickets are £20, free entry for under 12s and there is free car parking. For further information visit www.cowdraypolo.co.uk.