FORMATION SKYDIVING

RELATIVE WORK

In formation skydiving several skydivers create different formations, figures or sequences in freefall, in belly-to-earth position.

Formations include from two (2-way) to hundreds of people. The most common are: 4-way sequential, 8-way sequential, 16-way sequential and big-ways.

FREEFLYING

Freeflying entails flying vertically while combining all flight positions, formations and directions. The basic positions are sitting, head-down, standing and back-flying.

The evolution of freeflying has led to vertical formation skydiving (VFS), which involves creating freefall formations and flying in the high-speed positions normally associated with freeflying. It is also known as vertical relative work or VRW.

FREESTYLE

Freestyle teams are formed by two skydivers: one performs acrobatic manoeuvres in freefall while the other records the jump sequence from very close-up. 

In freestyle, coordination between the two skydivers is crucial for the result to be as symmetrical and harmonious as possible.

WINGSUIT FLYING

THE WINGSUIT

A wingsuit is a special suit that joins the arms to the body and the legs to one another by means of a membrane by way of a wing around the human body. 

The wingsuit enables the jumper to travel large distances horizontally and reduces the speed of vertical descent considerably.

CANOPY PILOTING

This skydiving discipline involves piloting the canopy once the parachute has opened. Its purpose is initially to learn how to pilot and to land safely yet it also enables experts to refine technique and perform spectacular landings (swooping).

Swooping is a type of canopy piloting whereby skydivers fly with high-performance canopies with which they can generate high vertical speeds that they can then turn into horizontal speed. They can therefore slide along parallel to the ground for long distances.

CANOPY FORMATION SKYDIVING

CANOPY RELATIVE WORK

Canopy formation skydiving is one of the most eye-catching and spectacular disciplines. 

Skydivers open their parachutes immediately after leaving the aeroplane. They then fly with their parachutes alongside one another to create spectacular formations.

ACCURACY AND TRADITIONAL STYLE

TRADITIONAL DISCIPLINES

Accuracy and style are two of the oldest disciplines in skydiving. 

Accuracy involves a parachute landing as close as possible to a certain point (the bullseye of a target).

Style is a discipline in which a jumper performs a series of pre-established loops and turns in freefall as fast and as accurately as possible.