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Head Down · Mastery · The brief

Head-Down 405

Fly sequentials and hybrid formations

Sequentials and hybrids, where orientations are mixed inside one formation.

What the course is about

You'll learn to fly freefly sequentials and hybrid formations, which mix orientations in one formation. Head-Down 305 comes first, with the head-down group and big-way courses, because on these jumps you change orientation next to other people.
In Australia, head-down and mixed-orientation formation jumps of more than 3 people need a Freefly Crest (Head-Down), and more than 10 need a Star Crest.

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.

3.2 Safety critical
Transition between points by holding position, releasing, manoeuvring to the new slot and re-docking at low relative speed, not by tracking away and not by staging an orientation change over another flyer.

Do you move between points by holding, releasing, flying to the new slot and re-docking slowly, rather than tracking away or turning over another flyer?

3.3
Match fall rate across mixed orientations, bridging the gap with body position rather than forcing the grip.

Can you bridge a fall-rate gap between orientations with your body position rather than by pulling on the grip?

3.5 Safety critical
Release on the agreed trigger and fly to a stable solo position on any lost formation or spin.

On a lost formation or a spin, do you release on the agreed trigger and fly to a stable solo position?

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

3.2
Transition between points by holding position, releasing, manoeuvring to the new slot and re-docking at low relative speed, not by tracking away and not by staging an orientation change over another flyer.

Do you move between points by holding, releasing, flying to the new slot and re-docking slowly, rather than tracking away or turning over another flyer?

3.5
Release on the agreed trigger and fly to a stable solo position on any lost formation or spin.

On a lost formation or a spin, do you release on the agreed trigger and fly to a stable solo position?

Everything this course says about breakoff and deployment

1.3
State breakoff and deployment altitudes and the abort-altitude commitment; sequential and hybrid personal minimums run higher than solo freefly because a formation breakup is more complex.
4.1
Initiate breakoff at the briefed altitude (within −0/+300 ft), with each flyer tracking in their own orientation before flattening.
4.2
Check airspace and deploy at the planned altitude.

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

- Sky and tunnel. The Perform criteria that build points with others are assessed on sky jumps with real formations. Tunnel work is preparation.
Sky jumps from 12,000 ft or higher (recommended), and higher for larger or mixed-orientation builds.
Video is the main debrief and assessment tool.
Equipment: a visual altimeter, a working audible, an AAD (recommended), and freefly-compatible gear for every flyer, belly slots included.
The assessor is a freefly coach current in sequential and hybrid flying, using this checklist.
Ask the flyer to talk through: why a freefly sequential is harder than a belly one; the approach angle for head-down and head-up formations; why nobody flies below an inverting flyer, and how to stage orientation changes into clear air.
Also ask for: the full sequence of at least two of the rodeo, pancake, infinity and alley-oop, including the alley-oop from a piece leader's view; the burble and cork response for the randoms flown; and why minimums and the release trigger matter more on these jumps.
Each criterion is marked Satisfactory or Not Yet Satisfactory. The course is recorded as a milestone.
There is no set jump count.
The tunnel suits drilling the formations, and exits, breakoff and building points with other people need the sky.
If you already fly sequentials and hybrids, your coach can assess you on one jump plus your logbook and video.

Performance evidence

Debrief the video for dropped points, timing and fall-rate mismatch, and log the formations and one thing to train next. You've finished Head-Down 405 when you fly jumps in a row that go to plan, breakoff included, across a range of these formations, meeting 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. These are fun jumps and the hazards are serious: hold the approach angle, the release trigger and the higher breakoff to the bold standard, however well the rest goes. Calling a move off because its mechanics were not agreed is the right call.
Debrief without blame, and end each debrief on something that went well, with one focus 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 405 course page carries the reasoning, the sources and everything left off here. All briefing cards.