Head-Down 202

Demonstrate crest-standard head-down flying

The head-down flying a crest sign-off consumes as evidence.

What this unit covers

Covers consolidating 2-way head-down skills into consistent, crest-standard performance: flying the two Freefly and Angles Guide Head-Down dive flows (Head-Down 1 and Head-Down 2, APF006 §8.6; the APF Training Operations Manual Stages 3–4) as video-recorded assessment jumps, and compiling the evidence pack that an approving authority can sign from.

This course ends with the crest: a candidate who completes FFP-HD202 holds the full evidence pack for a head-down crest application (in Australia, the chief instructor-verified Form C3 application for the Freefly Crest Head-Down, the APF Training Operations Manual).

The rest of it

Applies to flyers competent in HD 201 (2-way head-down). Environment: sky. Assessment jumps must be sky jumps; tunnel drills serve preparation only. Supervision: the coach flies the dive flow as reference and assessor. The candidate's performance must be unsupported: no in-air corrections on assessment jumps.

Group size remains 2 (3 with specific approval) throughout this unit.

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.

3.6

Fly from an unlinked exit to a face-off within 5 m of the coach-held base.

Can you fly from an unlinked exit to a face-off within five metres of a stationary flyer?

3.9

Perform a half transition to head-up on the coach's signal, maintaining fall rate and level while head-up.

Can you half transition to head up on signal and back to head down again, holding fall rate and level through both?

3.12 Safety critical

Maintain a freefly-speed fall rate throughout, staying clear of the airspace directly above the coach.

Do you hold freefly speed throughout and stay out of the airspace directly above the other flyer?

Screen 3 · Safety and altitudes

Safety and altitudes

Everything here is a recommendation with a reason behind it, not a rule. The drop zone you are jumping at, and your own limits on the day, decide what actually happens.

Safety-critical criteria on the short list

3.12

Maintain a freefly-speed fall rate throughout, staying clear of the airspace directly above the coach.

Do you hold freefly speed throughout and stay out of the airspace directly above the other flyer?

Everything this unit says about breakoff and deployment

1.3

State breakoff and deployment altitudes, and the lost-partner plan (breakoff guide: 5,000 ft for freefly groups up to a 4-way, 5,500 ft for a 5-way or larger; most modern jumpers plan 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).

4.2

Transition smoothly through a 180° turn into a back track 90° from jump run, the FFP-HD201 breakoff sequence (a progressive back track before rolling to belly, per the APF Training Operations Manual flow), decelerating gradually while checking airspace.

4.3

Deploy at the planned altitude after clearing airspace (breakoff-to-deployment ≥1,000 ft guide; a regulation in Australia, the APF Operational Regulations).

Altitudes here are the guides this curriculum recommends and argues for. Where the drop zone briefs something different, the drop zone is what you fly.

Screen 4 · After the jump

After the jump

From this unit's own closing element, review.

5.1

Debrief each assessment jump against the published FFP-HD202 checklist using video.

5.2

Compile the evidence pack: logbook entries written up with reflections naming the unit and skills assessed (e.g. "HD202 assessment jump A, HD1 flow"), dated video of both complete flows with the candidate identifiable, and the completed criteria checklists, the record a coach, drop zone safety officer or chief instructor signs from.

5.3

Plan post-unit consolidation: a block of jumps in small groups (3–5-ways) before attempting anything larger than a 5-way (APF006 §8.6 recommendation).

One fault, one correction

Before the video, before anyone else speaks: name the single thing that went wrong, and the single thing you will do differently next jump. One of each. A list of six is a list you will not 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

Most records are the flyer's own, and that is the point: your own read of your own flying is worth keeping. A record only counts as verified once a coach signs it.

Your notes for this unit

Saved on this device only. Nothing is sent anywhere, there is nowhere for it to go, and no account is involved. They will be here next time you open this card.

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This card is a summary. The full Head-Down 202 unit carries the reasoning, the sources and everything left off here. All briefing cards.