Head-Down 305 — Fly intermediate vertical formation skydiving (VFS)

Application

Covers flying an assigned slot in intermediate Vertical Formation Skydiving (VFS): building randoms and entry-level blocks in small formations at head-down and head-up fall rates, with the grip discipline and fall-rate matching the vertical version demands. VFS is the vertical analogue of belly Formation Skydiving, the same randoms, blocks and rounds, flown in vertical orientations.

This card is the intermediate step for a flyer moving from group work into competition-style formations; open-class VFS (the full pool, hardest blocks) is FFP-HD404. Assumes FFP-HD301 and comfortable head-down docking. Tunnel for repetition of formations and grips; sky for exits, altitude and breakoff.

Pre-requisite units

FFP-HD301 (head-down group flying). RPL route: logbook and video of 2-way or 4-way VFS training against the criteria, or intermediate/inter-class VFS tunnel records plus sky validation of exits and breakoff.

What intermediate VFS asks

Intermediate VFS is the reduced pool at a manageable pace, in small formations. In APF terms this is the 2-way Inter and 4-way Advanced end of the sport, where the hardest randoms and blocks are removed from the draw and the draw is short.

The work is: build clean randoms from an exit configuration, fly the entry-level blocks (top formation, the inter move, the same grips at the bottom), and match fall rate at close range without overcorrecting. Foot grips appear alongside hand grips in several formations, so the grip vocabulary extends past the hands.

Working time in competition is 35 seconds from a 13,000 ft exit, enough that the tempo matters even at this level.

Elements and performance criteria

1. Plan the jump

1.1

State own slot and the draw (randoms and any entry-level blocks) for the jump, with the inter move for each block.

1.2

Confirm the exit formation and which point scores from exit.

1.3

State breakoff and deployment altitudes and the lost-formation plan; VFS breakoff runs higher than belly because the head-down fall rate spends altitude faster.

2. Prepare

2.1

Complete a freefly-specific gear check (handles, hand-deploy pouch, riser covers, closing loop, helmet, audible set and functioning).

2.2

Dirt-dive the exit, each point and each inter move at the team's tempo.

2.3

Confirm exit order and separation with the load.

3. Perform

3.1

Exit into the briefed formation, scoring the exit point where the draw allows.

3.2

Hold heading and fall rate as the stationary reference when own slot is the holder on a block.

3.3

Fly the inter move relative to the partner, arresting closure before taking the next grip.

3.4

Take grips (hand or foot) cleanly, at low relative speed, without loading or destabilising the formation.

3.5

Match fall rate at close range, riding the burble interaction between bodies with small inputs rather than overcorrecting.

3.6

Build randoms by approaching from outside the formation, never from directly above a head-down slot (into the feet-side burble).

3.7

Recover to a stable solo position on any cork or lost formation, separating laterally rather than holding a failing grip.

4. Complete

4.1

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

4.2

Turn to the assigned track, transitioning off head-down before flattening, checking airspace.

4.3

Deploy at the planned altitude after checking airspace.

4.4

Fly the briefed canopy separation plan.

5. Review

5.1

Debrief the draw against video, locating dropped points and their cause (grip quality, inter timing, heading error, fall-rate mismatch).

5.2

Identify one correction to train next.

5.3

Log the jump naming the unit and slot, the points built and the next focus.

Bold criteria are safety-critical, strongly recommended must-meet standards within FFP courses, not regulations. A cork at head-down fall rates or a low breakoff in a formation endangers more than the flyer, so a Not Yet Satisfactory on a bold criterion makes the unit Not Yet Competent.

Foundation skills

Learning and calling the reduced dive pool. Altitude awareness held alongside formation building. Close-range fall-rate matching and quiet-body control. Structured video debrief.

Performance evidence (suggested sufficiency — adjust locally)

• A guide to how long intermediate VFS takes, not a gate. Progression through the recognised VFS build at small scale: single randoms, then randoms in sequence.
• Entry-level blocks in isolation (top, inter, bottom).
• Then short mixed draws. Tunnel time is normal for repetition.
• It evidences formations and inter moves but cannot substitute for exits, altitude awareness or breakoff.

Knowledge evidence

• Describe the VFS competition structure at intermediate level: 2-way Inter and 4-way Advanced draws, 35-second working time, how randoms and blocks score.
• Name the randoms and any entry-level blocks in your draw, and the inter move for each block you fly.
• Explain the No-Fly Zone: a head-down flyer’s burble sits above the feet, so approaches come from the side and slightly below the formation’s hips, never from directly above.
• Explain why VFS breakoff runs higher than belly (faster fall rate, altitude spent transitioning to a track).
• Explain fall-rate matching at close range and the burble interaction between two vertical bodies, and why the correction is small inputs.
• Describe the cork response in a formation: separate laterally and recover solo rather than hold a failing grip.

Assessment conditions

Sky and tunnel. Real formations are required for the Perform criteria that build points with others; tunnel evidence is preparatory for exits, altitude and breakoff. Sky jumps from a recommended 12,000 ft minimum (higher toward the VFS competition altitude for larger draws). Video: the primary debrief and evidence tool. Equipment: visual altimeter, functioning audible, AAD recommended, freefly-suitable gear.

Assessor: a freefly coach or VFS competitor current in the discipline, using the published FFP-HD305 checklist. Each criterion Satisfactory / Not Yet Satisfactory; unit Competent / Not Yet Competent, recorded as a milestone.

Coaching priorities

Deliver in the project’s priority order: Safety → Fun → Learning (curriculum Part A0). Safety criteria are must-meet, a cork recovery or a clean breakoff is never traded for a point. VFS debriefs run off video without blame, celebrate the points that built, and end on one focus for the next round.

RPL evidence set

Logbook and video of 2-way or 4-way VFS training or inter-class competition; VFS tunnel records plus sky validation of exits and breakoff; or a challenge assessment across a set of draws against the full criteria with a qualifying assessor.

Sources