Head-Down 201

Fly head-down in a 2-way

Head down with one other person, on the level, slot, dock discipline.

What the course is about

You'll learn to fly head-down with one other person: exit together, follow level, approach and dock, fly your coach's signalled transitions, and break off. This follows Head-Down 102, because you need to hold, move and transition head-down before you fly it relative to someone else.

In Australia, head-down training jumps are 2-ways under the direct supervision of a freefly coach who holds the head-down crest.

What comes before it

Screen 2 · What you are watched on

What you are watched on

The same short list a coach ticks, in the same words. Nothing is hidden from you.

3.5

Follow the partner through one level change up and one down, re-establishing level (head-height tolerance) within 3 seconds of each.

Can you follow another flyer through one level change up and one down, back on level within three seconds each time?

3.7

Hold level (head-height tolerance) for 3 seconds, then hold the slot for 3 seconds, before initiating the dock (Level → Slot → Dock).

Do you hold level for three seconds and the slot for three seconds before you start the dock?

3.8

Take a hand-to-hand dock by flying the body to the grip, arms take the grip only, no reaching, without destabilising the partner.

Can you dock by flying your body to the grip, so your arm only closes the grip and never reaches for it?

3.10 Safety critical

Back out to level immediately on any instability during approach or dock, re-approaching only when stable.

If you get unstable on the approach or on the grip, do you back out to level and re-approach only once you are stable?

Screen 3 · Safety and altitudes

Safety and altitudes

Everything here is a recommendation with a reason behind it. The drop zone you are jumping at, and your own limits on the day, decide what happens.

Safety-critical items on the short list

3.10

Back out to level immediately on any instability during approach or dock, re-approaching only when stable.

If you get unstable on the approach or on the grip, do you back out to level and re-approach only once you are stable?

Everything this course says about breakoff and deployment

1.3

State breakoff and deployment altitudes, and the lost-partner plan (guide: 5,000 ft for freefly groups up to 4-way, noting most modern jumpers set 5,500 ft for any freefly group and will generally not accept 4,500).

4.1

Initiate breakoff at the briefed altitude (within −0/+300 ft).

4.5

Decelerate before deployment: pitch the track back up, get big and wide, and listen for the wind noise decreasing, flare like a wingsuiter, star-fish.

4.6

Deploy at the planned altitude after clearing airspace, noting how hard the opening is and learning the timings. A fast, steep, efficient track gains great separation but can leave you outside the container and canopy speed envelopes, risking a hard opening: shredded end cells, broken lines, torn fabric.

The altitudes here are the guides this site recommends, with the reasons on the full course page. Where the drop zone briefs something different, fly what the drop zone briefs.

Screen 4 · After the jump

After the jump

From the course's closing section, review.

5.1

Debrief against the declared objective using video.

5.2

Identify one fault and its correction for the next jump.

5.3

Write the jump up in the logbook with reflections naming the unit and skills assessed (e.g. "HD201 skills assessment") and the criteria results, the curriculum gives log entries meaning.

One fault, one correction

Before the video, and before anyone else speaks, name the one fault from the jump and the one thing you will change on the next jump. Keep it to one of each, so you have one clear thing to fly.

Write them into your notes at the bottom of this card, and they will be here next time you open it.

Record this jump

You can record the jump yourself, because your own read of your flying is worth keeping. A record counts as verified once a coach signs it.

Your notes for this course

Saved on this device only, with no account. They will be here next time you open this card.

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This card is a summary. The full Head-Down 201 course page carries the reasoning, the sources and everything left off here. All briefing cards.