Freefly
Fly in all orientations safely and with control
Freefly allows you to fly in freefall in sitting, standing, and head-down positions. Fall speed is higher and technical demands greater, hence the importance of a structured progression.
What is Freefly?
A dynamic discipline leveraging varied orientations, transitions, and planned group sequences.
Main objectives
- Master sitting, standing, and head-down positions.
- Hold your slot in the flow: levels, heading, distances.
- Maintain continuous altitude awareness.
- Respect break, track, and group procedures.
- Execute clean, readable transitions.
Types of freefly jumps
- Head-up (sit) - stability, control, readability.
- Stand-up - variations in speed and lift.
- Head-down - higher speeds, increased control demands.
- Angles - inclined trajectories, combinations of heading and levels.
Safety & equipment
- Clear briefing: heading(s), levels, exit order, key altitudes, break & track.
- Equipment: BOC (hand deploy) or pull-out, velcro discouraged.
- Gear check by an instructor or qualified rigger before first freefly jumps.
- Altimeter/audible required; hard helmet recommended.
Freefly Licenses
Beginner Head-up
Requirements
- Minimum 100 jumps.
- Stability in belly flying, altitude awareness.
- Equipment: hand-deploy bottom-of-container or mandatory pull-out, good spandex, hidden pilot chute, tight loops, no Velcro, hard helmet, AAD required, audible required.
- Required briefings: head-up exits, base position, shorter freefall time, corking and spinning risks.
Restrictions & Authorizations
- Head-up solo jumps (sitting).
- Jumps with a minimum FF-C holder responsible for the jump.
- Forbidden: head-down position, head-up jumps with FF-B holders.
- Forbidden to jump with an FF-B.
Intermediate Head-up
Requirements
- Minimum 100 total jumps.
- FF-A validated.
- Mandatory video evidence including: stable head-up exit; 360° turn; front or back flip; 5s stand-up; correct break-off with sufficient track.
- Briefings: on-the-hill exit, airspace control, forward/back/left/right moves, level maintenance.
Restrictions & Authorizations
- Head-up two-ways with another FF-B.
- Multi-way jumps if others are at least FF-C.
- Forbidden: jumps with FF-A, head-down, groups with multiple FF-Bs.
- Only head-up position is allowed.
Confirmed HU / Beginner HD
Requirements
- 50-100 freefly jumps.
- FF-B validated.
- Mandatory video including: stable head-up in front of another; fly back → forward and stop; head-up foot-to-foot dock (or harder); fly your slot without orbiting; airspace control and break-off.
- Briefings: head-down exits, anti-backslide measures, HU↔HD transitions, cross to jump run, max time in HD.
Restrictions & Authorizations
- Head-up: with everyone, no restriction.
- Head-down: solo or with a responsible FF-E.
- Head-down jumps forbidden with FF-D.
- Steep-angle (≥45°) treated as head-down.
Intermediate Head-down
Requirements
- 100-200 freefly jumps.
- FF-C validated.
- Mandatory video including: stable HD exit; 360° turn; HD↔HU, HU↔HD, HD↔HD transitions; proper HD break-off; constant stability.
- Briefings: forward/back/lateral moves, level maintenance, HD airspace control.
Restrictions & Authorizations
- Head-down two-ways with another FF-D.
- Head-down with an FF-C if the FF-C remains head-up.
- Head-up ↔ head-down transitions permitted during the jump.
- Recommendation: 1 stays HU, 1 HD, switch mid-jump or next jump.
Forbidden
- Head-down with an active FF-C.
- Jumps with more than two FF-Ds.
- Groups ≥ 2 unless others are FF-E.
- Steep-angle jumps (≥45°) treated as HD.
Confirmed Head-down
Requirements
- 300-400 freefly jumps.
- FF-D validated.
- Filmed exam (head-up, candidate proves HD mastery): HD exit; independent HD in front of a stable HU; back then forward and stop; HD dock on HU without instability; hold slot without orbiting; airspace control and break-off; HD from exit to break-off.
Restrictions & Authorizations
- Head-down in big-ways with all license holders.
- Steep-angle jumps (equivalent to head-down).
Freefly Initiator
Requirements
- ≥ 500 freefly jumps.
- Proposed by the Belgian Parachuting Federation.
- Mastery of HU & HD, general knowledge, teaching ability.
- Pass briefing & debriefing tests.
- FF-E validation required.
- External video evidence, announced jump, required figures: Spock; HD360° transition; Joker; HU dock; hand-to-hand; HU hand-to-foot dock.
- Judged by 2 official freefly judges.
Authorizations
- Coach and award FF-A to FF-E licenses.
- Responsible for maintaining the license system.
- Must take part in freefly camps.
