Parachute Group Holland

Jumps into history

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Join PGH?

To participate in our activities, the main condition is that you become a donor to our foundation. We have set the minimum amount for this at 80 euros (2024). In addition to active jumpers, we are also open to enthusiasts who can provide all kinds of manual services. This includes helping to man the DZ (drop zone), driving our DZ bus or taking care of our PR.

There are a few preconditions for joining us:

Trained or being trained on a steerable round canopy
Have made a jump the previous year
If longer ago, a refresher will be necessary
Own or want to purchase your own approved jumping equipment (MC1-1X, SF10, SET10 & MIRPS spare + jumping helmet & chests)
A valid medical examination for parachuting
A KNVvL membership or international equivalent
Valid harness test
And be prepared to regularly appear on our jumping days

PGH & KNVvL
We are the only Dutch Round Canopy Club that offers round canopy jumping and training according to the guidelines of the KNVvL (Royal Dutch Aviation Association). A membership of the KNVvL (or foreign equivalent) is necessary so the individual jumper is properly insured for this exceptional activity through that membership. Anyone who follows a training course with us is automatically registered with the KNVvL.

PGH & ENPC
To maintain knowledge and skills, there are regular jumping events during weekends from Breda International Airport (Seppe), where we are based at the Skydive ENPC (First Dutch Parachute Jumping Club). A club founded by soldiers from the former Dutch East Indies.

Safety
PGH is a club that keeps the knowledge and skills of (historical) military round canopy jumping and its history alive in a safe manner.

We are absolutely not a re-enactment club that reenacts scenarios or takes on the role of characters. However, for historical purposes, most of us jump in uniforms that match the time of use of the old planes from which we jump during the Market Garden Commemorations, our most important event.

Dropzone transport
To support our jumping activities, we have our own drop zone bus. This allows our jumpers to be brought back to the airport in Bosschenhoofd from the DZ 'November', near Oudenbosch, with fewer car movements. The bus is also used during our other events.

Become a donor to Parachute Group Holland
For donors who participate in our jumping activities, this is a minimum of 80 Euro. For those who care about our activities, any amount you can freely enter is welcome. We are happy with every generous donation from both private individuals and companies. You can become a donor here.

Objectives of PGH

Parachute Group Holland (PGH) is a foundation dedicated to making historic militairy-style parachute jumps.

The history of Round Canopy Jumping in the Netherlands begins with an exceptionally large number of parachute jumps during the Second World War. For example, in September 1944, the largest airborne operation ever took place between Eindhoven and Ede with 20,000 paratroopers. (Operation Market) In April 1945, French SAS teams carried out a large airborne landing in Drenthe under the name Operation Amherst to force the liberation of the Northern Netherlands.

In addition to this large-scale operations, the Round Canopy has also been used in another way. For example, during the entire war, more than two hundred, mostly Dutch, secret agents parachuted into the Netherlands to organize the resistance. Small commando units have been dropped in the Netherlands to prepare for major airborne operations. And more than a thousand aircrew members manage to rescue themselves from crashing war planes by parachute. In the aftermath of the Second World War, a number of covert commando raids by parachute took place in the Dutch East Indies, as well as large-scale operations.

In memory of all these brave men and a few women, Parachute Group Holland provides Round Canopy training with a military Round Canopy and jumping activities are organized around various, often military, commemorative moments. Our jumping donors are a mix of civilians, active and former military personnel. A significant number of donors come from countries that were once involved in the liberation of Europe during the Second World War. Where possible, we involve veterans or relatives of veterans in our activities.

committees

Instruction Group

This group of instructors are (ultimately) responsible for PGH's jumping operations and training. They are one of the few Round Canopy trainers in the Netherlands.

Dropzone Crew

This group is responsible for manning the Dropzone (DZ). They ensure safety at the DZ and can communicate with the Jumpmasters on the aircraft if needed.

Rigger Assistance

After jumping the chutes will have to be re-packed. For novice jumpers who jump with the 'club' parachutes, we have 'assistant riggers' who explain and guide this process.

Equipment Group

The equipment group ensures that our 12 'club' sets are in order and up to date all year round. During practice days they take care of the distribution and collection of the material to the student jumpers.

Board members PGH

The current board members of PGH. They run all the peripheral matters around the jumping activities. At least one board member is usually present on jumping days and events.

Donations C-47 Dakota Market Garden 2024

A C47 (Dakota) from the Second World War that drops paratroopers under round canopy parachutes puts the 80th Market Garden Commemorations on Ginkelse Heide near Ede into the correct historical perspective. PGH has been providing this image for 15 years now.

All those years the jumpers financed this themselves. The jumping costs have now risen to over 900 euros per person. Due to the ever-increasing costs for fuel, insurance premiums, airport and maintenance costs, this is almost impossible for the jumpers to afford themselves.

In order to be able to traditionally bring a historic aircraft to the Netherlands in 2024, we ask you or your company for some support. .You can make a donation to us via this link. You can adjust the amount yourself. We and the public are most gratitudet.