Desert Sky Alliance
Freefly Progression Program
From obtaining your USPA A license (or equivalent) to mastering multiple disciplines and orientations, this is our general recommended progression for safe and efficient learning. Of course, this plan would be tailored to each individual.
1. USPA A License or Equivalent
The first step in your skydiving journey is obtaining the USPA A license. This certifies that you are safe and cleared to skydive without supervision and can participate in basic group jumps.
2. Belly Skills
Before diving into freefly, it’s important to refine your belly flying skills. A good freeflyer is also proficient on their belly. This is the time to refine your turns, docks, and other movements, such as knee turns and side slides, while also enhancing your break-off tracking. You'll begin to relax more, focus, and increase your situational awareness. Start with 1-on-1 coaching, then consolidate your skills in small groups (maximum 4-way to start). Incorporating wind tunnel sessions is an excellent way to complement skydiving practice and accelerate your progression to advanced belly skills.
Skill Levels:
Basic:
Stable exits
No orbiting
Maintain reasonable level and proximity
Approach slot
Build 1-2 simple formations during the skydive
Break-off with a straight track achieving reasonable distance
Intermediate:
Linked exits
Consistently approach and fly in slot
Achieve 3+ point, simple formation skydives
Break-off with a straight track achieving reasonable distance
Advanced:
Linked exits
Achieve 4+ point, advanced formation skydives
Break-off with a straight track achieving reasonable distance
‘Simple formation skydives’ refers to the inward-facing random formations from the official FS dive pool (page 20) FAI dive pool. ‘Advanced formation skydives’ includes the entire FS dive pool.
3. Belly Tracking / Angles
This is a freefall discipline where the skydiver orients their body in a belly-to-earth position while moving at an angle relative to the ground. The flyer must adjust their body position to control heading, speed and descent angle, often flying in formation with others. Mistakes can be dangerous due to the speed involved, so it’s crucial to learn the fundamentals through 1-on-1 coaching.
Progression Steps:
Heading awareness, communication, balance (stability), and break-offs
Turns and sideways movement with consistent angles
Accelerate and slow down
Steepen and flatten out
Combine all steps to fly to your coach
Once proficient, you can consolidate by joining small angle groups.
Angle Progression Camps:
Basics (Max 4):
Stable exits
Maintaining line
Maintain reasonable proximity
Intermediate (Max 6):
Fly close to level
Approach slot
Follow minor changes in speed/heading
Advanced (Max 8):
Fly in slot
Follow changes in speed/heading/angle
4. Back Tracking / Angles
This is similar to belly tracking but the skydiver orients their body in a back-to-earth position. Although more advanced, it is in some ways easier to master than belly angles. Start with 1-on-1 coaching.
Progression Steps:
Transition from belly-track to back-track with heading control
Turns
Accelerate and slow down
Steepen and flatten out
Combine all steps to fly to your coach
Once proficient, you can consolidate by joining small angle groups.
5. Head-Up (Sit-Fly)
Head-Up is a more advanced, vertical orientation, which includes any body position where the body is positioned upright with the head toward the sky and feet toward the ground. The first step in Head-Up is learning to Sit-Fly, where the skydiver is in a seated position relative to the ground. This position requires precise control to maintain stability. Incorporating wind tunnel sessions is an excellent way to complement skydiving practice and accelerate your mastery of Head-Up.
Progression Steps:
Control in recovery position (back-fly); transition to sit-fly; maintain balance; break-offs
On heading exit, back to airflow; turns
Fall rate control; forward and backward motion for docking techniques
Combine all steps to fly to your coach
Once proficient, join small group jumps.
Head-Up Progression Camps:
Basics (Max 4):
Fly close to level
No orbiting
Maintain reasonable proximity
Intermediate (Max 6):
Fly on level
Correct heading
Approach slot
Advanced (Max 8, only after learning head down):
Flying in slot
Take grips
HU moving
Break-off using HD
6. Head-Down
Head Down is vertical orientation with the skydiver’s head toward the ground and feet toward the sky. Due to the low drag and high speed nature of this orientation, head-down flying involves precise control of body position to maintain stability, manoeuvre, and interact with other skydivers in formations or dynamic movements. Loss of control can lead to highly dangerous situations and jumps should be planned based on the skill level of the participants. Incorporating wind tunnel sessions is an excellent way to complement skydiving practice and accelerate your progression.
Progression Steps:
Linked Head-Down exit; balance in Head-Down position
Forward and backward motion
Turns; fall rate control; break-off with 180
Transitions from Head-Up to Head-Down
Combine all steps to fly to your coach
Once proficient, join small group jumps.
Head-Down Progression Camps:
Basics (Max 4):
Linked exit
Fly close to level
No orbiting
Maintain reasonable proximity
Break-off with 180
Intermediate (Max 6):
Fly on level
Correct heading
Approach slot
Break-off with 180
Advanced (Max 8):
Flying in slot
Take grips
HD moving
Break-off with 180
7. Mixing Orientations & Disciplines
This is where skydiving gets truly exciting! Sequential flying, dynamic flying, and the combination of both disciplines are the focus here. Reaching this level typically requires years of dedicated training both in the sky and in the wind tunnel. But in truth, it’s a never ending journey, so remember to STAY SAFE, HAVE FUN, PROGRESS!
desertskyalliance@gmail.com