Kiwis, French in joint parachute exercise

A Casa 235 aircraft in action during Para Brevet 11 at Air Force Base Whenuapai, Auckland. Photo / NZPA

A parachute exercise between French Armed Forces based in New Caledonia and the Royal New Zealand Air Force Parachute Training and Support Unit took place today at Air Force Base Whenuapai in Auckland.

PTSU squadron leader Simon van Rijs said exercise Para Brevet 11 employed different modes of parachute jumping and represented a boost to international engagement between the Pacific partners.

He said parachutists who received training in tandem jumps would be able to deliver specialists who could not jump on their own, such as disaster relief personnel, onto the ground to quickly begin their work.

France's Captain Thierry Jacquot said his unit was there to improve "mutual acknowledgement" and "technical acknowledgement" with the New Zealanders.

After completing the qualifying jumps French jumpers would receive New Zealand's parachute wings, and vice versa.

- NZHERALD ONLINE