Stage 2 of the AFF program introduces the concept of controlled movement through the air mass. While Stage 1 was about learning to fall stable — essentially hovering in one place relative to the earth — Stage 2 teaches you to fly. You will learn that freefall is not passive falling; it is active flight in three dimensions, and your body is the aircraft.
Stage 2 Learning Objectives
Stage 2 has four primary objectives that build directly on your Stage 1 training. First, you must maintain stable body position for the full freefall duration, which is extended to approximately 45 seconds as you begin learning about altitude and timing. Second, you must demonstrate controlled forward motion — the ability to move from one position in the sky to another while remaining stable. Third, you must continue developing your altitude monitoring habit. Fourth, you must actively participate in the deployment sequence with increasing independence.
The forward motion requirement is the key differentiator between Stage 1 and Stage 2. You are no longer just falling straight down; you are learning to use your body as a lifting surface to generate horizontal velocity. This is the beginning of true freefall piloting.
Your instructors will approach and depart from you during the jump, demonstrating relative wind angles and how your body responds to different inputs. Watching their movement relative to you gives you critical information about your own stability and altitude.
Pre-Jump Preparation: Extending Stage 1 Habits
All Stage 1 preparation habits carry forward to Stage 2 and every subsequent AFF level. The difference is that by Stage 2, you should not need to think through each step consciously. The pre-jump routine should be deeply ingrained: equipment check, altimeter set, briefing review, and mental visualization. These are not things you do because your instructor told you to — they are things you do because they are the professional standard for every skydiver at every level.
During the aircraft climb, you will begin practicing body position in the more dynamic environment of the climbing, turning aircraft. The cabin conditions at altitude are physically demanding — cold, low pressure, and noisy. Your body position training helps prepare you for the initial freefall conditions.
At the door, you should be mentally rehearsing the jump sequence. Stage 2 introduces a new element: the exit for forward motion. While Stage 1 focused on simply leaving the aircraft stable, Stage 2 asks you to project yourself forward as you exit, using the aircraft's forward motion combined with your own body position to generate initial forward speed.
Exit Technique: Projecting Forward Motion
The Stage 2 exit involves a slightly different body position than Stage 1. As you leave the aircraft, you lead with your chest and push slightly forward while maintaining your arch. This projects you into the relative wind at an angle that generates forward momentum. Your instructors will demonstrate and guide this exit repeatedly until you can do it consistently.
The key sensation to feel for is the transition from aircraft speed to airspeed. When you first leave the aircraft, you are moving at the aircraft's speed — typically 80 to 100 miles per hour horizontally relative to the ground. As you fall, your horizontal velocity decays while your vertical velocity increases toward terminal velocity. The art of freefall flying is managing these vectors to control your position in the sky.
After the initial exit stability phase, your instructors will signal you to begin forward motion. The technique involves shifting your hips slightly in the desired direction while maintaining your arch and arm position. Small inputs generate surprisingly large horizontal velocity changes. Be conservative with your inputs — it is easier to add more motion than to correct excessive motion.
Altitude Monitoring in Stage 2
Stage 2 introduces more complex altitude monitoring requirements. You will be expected to call your altitude at multiple checkpoints during the jump, not just when prompted. Developing an automatic altitude monitoring habit is one of the most critical safety skills in all of skydiving. Students who develop strong altitude habits early have significantly fewer incidents throughout their careers.
The altimeter in skydiving uses an electronic pressure sensor calibrated to display altitude above sea level. At 14,000 feet, you are experiencing approximately 57% of the atmospheric pressure at sea level, and the partial pressure of oxygen is correspondingly reduced. Your altimeter reads based on pressure change, not GPS — it is measuring barometric pressure, which means it can vary with weather conditions.
Develop the habit of checking your altimeter in the aircraft before exit, confirming it reads approximately field elevation when on the ground. Then during the climb, watch it climb. At exit, confirm you are at your planned exit altitude. During freefall, check it at every instructor signal and at your own planned intervals. The discipline of this habit will save your life.
Instructor Approaches and Relative Flight
During Stage 2, your instructors will begin demonstrating relative flight — the skill of flying near other skydivers in freefall. They will approach you from different angles, demonstrating how airflow around your body affects their ability to approach and dock with you. This builds the foundation for formation skydiving that you will develop in later stages.
Watch carefully when your instructors approach each other. Notice how they slow their approach rate as they get close, using their body position to manage the closing speed. The goal is a gentle, controlled contact — not a collision. Formation skydiving is a precise skill that requires reading airflow and adjusting body position in real time.
Your instructors may also demonstrate different relative positions — above you, below you, beside you. Each position has a different airflow pattern, and understanding these patterns helps you predict how your body will behave if you lose stability and how to correct it.
Deployment Sequence with Increased Independence
In Stage 1, your instructors guided your hand to the pilot chute and helped you through the deployment motion. In Stage 2, you begin taking more initiative. Your instructors will give you the signal to deploy, but you are expected to reach for the pilot chute yourself, confirm your grip, and execute the deployment motion with less physical guidance.
The deployment sequence in skydiving is a critical phase with multiple potential failure modes. A poorly executed deployment can result in a spinning or line-twisted canopy, a partial inflation, or in extreme cases, a cell-to-cell opening that damages the canopy. Professional deployment technique is essential.
The correct pilot chute throw is a crisp, full-arm motion directed slightly upward and backward into the relative wind. After throwing, keep your arm extended until you feel the pilot chute catch air and begin pulling the closing loop. A common Stage 2 error is throwing the pilot chute downward or forward — this can result in the pilot chute being caught in your wake and failing to deploy the main canopy.
Canopy Flight and Pattern Entry in Stage 2
Under canopy, Stage 2 introduces the concept of active canopy flight. While Stage 1 students often passively floated to the landing area, Stage 2 expects you to begin making decisions about your flight path and executing the landing pattern with increasing independence.
The canopy you are flying is a ram-air parachute — a rectangular wing that generates lift just like an airplane wing. The steering toggles control the rear of the wing, causing the canopy to bank and turn. The greater the toggle input, the tighter the turn and the higher the descent rate. This is a fundamental concept that you will refine throughout your entire skydiving career.
Your landing pattern should be planned from the moment you separate from your instructors. Know which direction the wind is blowing, plan your base leg and final approach, and execute the pattern deliberately. As you approach the ground, begin your flare preparation early — a smooth, controlled landing is the result of good approach management, not last-second heroics.
Debriefing and Progression Criteria
The Stage 2 debrief is your opportunity to review your forward motion technique. The video will show whether your body position remained stable during forward flight, whether you were able to control your altitude within the formation area, and whether your deployment was clean. Take detailed notes on your specific areas for improvement.
To pass Stage 2, you must demonstrate consistent stable body position during forward motion, active altitude monitoring with correct altitude calls, correct pilot chute deployment technique, and safe, controlled landing. If your instructors determine you need additional practice at Stage 2, use that time to build solid foundations. The skills you build in early AFF stages will be with you for every jump you ever make.