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Head Down · Mastery · The brief

Head-Down 403

Engineer big-way formations

Engineering the shape itself: lanes, stepping and build order.

What the course is about

You'll learn to design the formation a head-down big-way builds: the base, the build order, the wacker lines and the steps in head level. This follows Head-Down 401, which sizes the group, slots people and designs the breakoff, because this course designs what that group builds.
In Australia, every jumper on a head-down jump of more than 3 needs a Freefly Crest (Head-Down), and above 10 a Star Crest as well.

What comes before it

Screen 2 · What to watch

What to watch

The same short list the flyer sees on their card, in the same words.

1.2
Lay out the formation (round or line, wacker lines, approach lanes) so approach lanes do not cross.

Can you lay a formation out so that no two approach lanes cross?

1.3 Safety critical
Engineer the head-level stepping into the build so the formation absorbs closing stingers as a stepped spiral, matched to the group's skill level.

Can you build head-level stepping into the design so the formation absorbs closing stingers, matched to the skill in the group?

2.3 Safety critical
Sequence the build inside-out so no flyer stings an unstable edge.

Do you sequence the build from the inside out, so nobody is asked to sting an unstable edge?

Screen 3 · What blocks a sign-off

What blocks a sign-off

A safety-critical item marked not yet stops the sign-off, however good the rest of the flying was. The rest of the jump cannot make up for it.

Safety-critical items on the short list

1.3
Engineer the head-level stepping into the build so the formation absorbs closing stingers as a stepped spiral, matched to the group's skill level.

Can you build head-level stepping into the design so the formation absorbs closing stingers, matched to the skill in the group?

2.3
Sequence the build inside-out so no flyer stings an unstable edge.

Do you sequence the build from the inside out, so nobody is asked to sting an unstable edge?

Everything this course says about breakoff and deployment

3.3
Confirm the design composes with the breakoff plan (waves match the build's outer-to-inner order).

Recording a sign-off says what you saw on one jump. Permission to jump, and anything the drop zone requires, stay with the drop zone.

Screen 4 · Conditions

Conditions

Where the evidence is allowed to come from, and how much of it there needs to be.

Assessment conditions

- Real designed head-down big-way jumps.
The design is assessed on the ground, and against the build on video. Video is the main tool for judging whether the shape built.
The assessor is an experienced head-down big-way organiser, or a freefly coach current in the discipline, using the published Head-Down 403 checklist.
Each criterion is marked Satisfactory or Not Yet Satisfactory. The course result is recorded as a milestone.
There is no set number of jumps. As a guide, build a record of formations you designed that built and held, across a range of sizes and shapes, first alongside an experienced organiser and then as the designer.
If you already design head-down big-ways, bring your designs, video of the builds and a word from a recognised organiser; one designed jump against the checklist, including the stepped build, completes it.
Who organises or joins a big-way stays with your drop zone and the crest rules where you jump.

Performance evidence

After each designed jump, judge from the video whether the formation built to the design, give any failure a design cause, change the design, and record the design and the result. You've finished Head-Down 403 when your designed jumps meet everything on the coach's checklist below.

Screen 5 · Debrief

Debrief

Safety first, then fun, then learning. In that order, every time.

Coaching priorities

Safety first, then fun, then learning. A design that steps the build to absorb closing stingers and keeps approach lanes clear is the safety core of this course, and a strong result elsewhere does not make up for a miss on either.
Run debriefs without blame, and end each one on something that worked, with one design change for the next jump.

One fault, one correction

Ask for their read before you give yours. Then leave them with one fault and one correction, in their words if you can get them. One of each is easier to carry onto the next load than six points.

A jump marked not yet is a jump to fly again. Tell them that as part of the debrief.

Record this jump

Your notes for this course

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

This card is a summary. The full Head-Down 403 course page carries the reasoning, the sources and everything left off here. All briefing cards.