Australian Parachute Federation

What Australian Parachute Federation does

The Australian Parachute Federation Ltd (APF) is Australia's national governing body for sport parachuting, operating as a private member-based non-profit headquartered in Underwood, Queensland, and tracing its role as national federation to 1971 (incorporated under Queensland law, founded 1960). Under CASA Part 149 Approval (renewed 2025-2030), the APF holds statutory regulatory authority over sport parachuting activities in Australia, with operational responsibility spanning training standards, equipment requirements, instructor/rigger certification, competition oversight, and safety oversight. Core products and services span the full lifecycle of the sport: Tandem Skydiving for first-time participants, the Accelerated Freefall (AFF) course for solo certification, Sports Jumping programs for licensed skydivers, an interactive Dropzone Locator across all states, the national championships apparatus across seven disciplines (Formation, Vertical Formation, Canopy Piloting, Wingsuit, Speed, Artistic, Angle, Accuracy), the Australian Skydiver Magazine, and an E-Learning platform hosting webinars and training videos.

The federation's technology footprint is operational rather than product-led: safety-critical hardware standards reference ALTI-2 digital altimeters and Vigil/CYPRES Automated Activation Devices; the website is built on elcomCMS with Facebook OAuth login and embedded Google Maps for the dropzone locator. Revenue is generated through diversified non-commercial streams: recurring membership fees (Form M1 Financial, M2 Student Pro-Rata), one-time certification and rating application fees (C1/C2/C3, R1a, R2a, D1, P1), competition registration fees ($150-$400 per event), training course fees, and annual conference registration. Distribution runs through 16 training drop zones, 31 tandem operators, 19 sports jumping drop zones, 7 constitutional area councils (NSWPC, NQPC, NTPC, SAPC, SQPC, VTPC, WAPC), and the annual APF Conference. The APF is internationally connected via FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) and domestically via the Australian Sports Commission and Air Sport Australia Confederation (ASAC).

Name

Australian Parachute Federation

Legal name

Australian Parachute Federation Ltd

Website

https://apf.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Australian Parachute Federation Ltd is Australia's national governing body for sport parachuting, regulating training, certification, competitions, and safety under a CASA Part 149 Approval, and serving individual skydivers, drop zone operators, instructors, and area councils across all states and territories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sport Federation Governance Services

akta.pro primary industry

Skydiving Centers & Drop Zones (Tandem, AFF Training) (THAAAKAB)

Keywords

• Sport federation governance
• Skydiving certification
• Parachuting training programs
• National skydiving championships
• Aviation safety regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The APF generates revenue through various membership options (Form M1 Financial Membership, Form M2 Student Pro-Rata Membership) which provide access to APF services, insurance, and regulatory coverage for skydiving activities.
2. Competition and Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from registration fees for national championships and competitions. Fees include $250.00 for first event entry, $150.00 per additional event, $300.00 for wingsuit registration, and $350-400 for canopy piloting championships.
3. Application and Certification Fees: Fees collected for various applications including certificate applications (C1, C2, C3), instructor ratings (R1a), coach appointments (R2a), display ratings (D1), packer/rigger ratings (P1), and other regulatory approvals. Fee schedule available in APF Application Fees document.
4. Training Course Fees: Revenue from training operations including AFF (Accelerated Freefall) courses, tandem instructor training, and various certification courses. The Training Operations Manual and endorsement guides outline the training pathways.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Australian Parachute Federation (APF) is the national governing body for sport parachuting in Australia, providing regulatory oversight under CASA Part 149 Approval, structured skydiving training pathways (Tandem and Accelerated Freefall/AFF), member licensing and certification, national and state-level competitions, dropzone accreditation, insurance coverage, and publications. It administers all parachuting activities in Australia through its affiliated network of drop zones, area councils, and certified instructors.

Product overview

The Australian Parachute Federation operates as a national governing body for sport parachuting in Australia, offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services. The core offerings include Tandem Skydiving experiences for beginners and the Accelerated Freefall (AFF) Course for those learning to skydive solo. For licensed skydivers, the Federation provides Sports Jumping opportunities and manages a Dropzone Locator service for finding training zones across Australia. The Federation organizes Competitions at national and state levels across multiple disciplines including Formation Skydiving, Canopy Piloting, Wingsuit Flying, Speed Skydiving, and Accuracy Landing. Additional services include the Australian Skydiver Magazine publication, an E-Learning platform with webinars and training videos, and comprehensive Membership Services including certification management and insurance. The organization is headquartered in Queensland and operates under Part 149 Approval from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Australian Skydiver Magazine: A magazine showcasing the sport of skydiving and its people, disciplines, and events around Australia.

Products and services

• Tandem Skydiving Introductory skydiving experience where a student is harnessed to a qualified Tandem Instructor, jumping from 10,000-15,000 feet with up to one minute of freefall. Available to individuals aged 16+ (with parental consent) at 31 affiliated tandem locations across Australia.
• Accelerated Freefall (AFF) Course Step-by-step training program teaching students to skydive solo, with initial jumps assisted by two instructors in freefall. Typically requires 7-10 jumps to complete. Available at 16 affiliated training drop zones across Australia. Successful completion leads to APF Certificate A, recognized worldwide.
• Sports Jumping Competitive and recreational skydiving for licensed skydivers, including formation skydiving, canopy piloting, wingsuit flying, speed skydiving, and artistic events. Available at 19 affiliated sports jumping drop zones across Australia.
• National and State Championships (Competitions) National and state-level skydiving championships across multiple disciplines including Formation Skydiving, Vertical Formation Skydiving, Canopy Piloting, Wingsuit Flying, Canopy Formation, Speed Skydiving, Artistic Events, Angle Flying, and Accuracy Landing. Registration fees include $250 first event, $150 per additional event, $300 wingsuit, $350-400 canopy piloting, and $50 accuracy landing.
• Dropzone Locator Interactive map-based directory of Australian dropzones filtered by type (training, sports jumping, tandem) and state, with contact details and locations. Powered by Google Maps integration.
• Membership Services Comprehensive member portal providing licensing, certification management, insurance, regulations access, and online application forms for ratings and endorsements (e.g., C1/C2/C3 certificates, R1a instructor ratings, R2a coach appointments, D1 display ratings, P1 packer/rigger ratings). Membership options include Form M1 Financial Membership and Form M2 Student Pro-Rata Membership.
• Australian Skydiver Magazine Print and digital magazine showcasing the sport of skydiving, featuring athletes, disciplines, events, and the skydiving community in Australia.
• E-Learning Platform Online learning resources including webinars, training videos, and educational content covering various skydiving techniques, safety information, and sport development. Includes recordings from safety seminars, webinars (e.g., 2022 APF Online Conference), incident reviews, and equipment discussions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Certificate A recognized worldwide - enabling APF members to skydive internationally without additional certification
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Australian Sports CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Australian Sports Commission (Australian Government) is acknowledged as a key partner supporting Australian sport including skydiving. The APF logo appears alongside the Australian Sports Commission logo on the website footer, indicating a formal relationship within the Australian sports ecosystem.
• Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASA is the Australian Government regulatory body responsible for civil aviation safety. The APF holds Part 149 Approval from CASA, granting it authority to regulate parachuting activities. This regulatory partnership is fundamental to APF's operations and governance framework.
• FAI (Federation Aeronautique Internationale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAI is the world air sports federation, and the APF is Australia's national member. Through this affiliation, APF members can compete internationally under FAI-sanctioned events including World Championships and World Cups in various disciplines.
• Air Sport Australia Confederation (ASAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASAC is the Australian national member of FAI and is recognized by the Australian Sports Commission as the National Sporting Organisation for air sports. The APF is a member of ASAC, which connects it to international anti-doping policies and FAI governance structures.
• NSWPC (NSW Parachute Council)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea council established as a committee of the APF under the Constitution. Coordinates sport development, state championships, and member support in New South Wales.
• NQPC (North Queensland Parachute Council)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea council established as a committee of the APF under the Constitution. Coordinates sport development, state championships, and member support in North Queensland.
• NTPC (Northern Territory Parachute Council)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea council established as a committee of the APF under the Constitution. Coordinates sport development, state championships, and member support in the Northern Territory.
• SAPC (South Australian Parachute Council)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea council established as a committee of the APF under the Constitution. Coordinates sport development, state championships, and member support in South Australia.
• SQPC (South Queensland Parachute Council)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea council established as a committee of the APF under the Constitution. Coordinates sport development, state championships, and member support in South Queensland.
• VTPC (Victoria/Tasmania Parachute Council)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea council established as a committee of the APF under the Constitution. Coordinates sport development, state championships, and member support in Victoria and Tasmania.
• WAPC (Western Australia Parachute Council)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArea council established as a committee of the APF under the Constitution. Coordinates sport development, state championships, and member support in Western Australia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• United States Parachute Association (USPA): The US national governing body for skydiving, issuing licenses, setting safety standards, and sanctioning competitions. The most direct international analog to APF in scale, structure, and member-based federation model.
• New Zealand Parachute Federation (NZPF): New Zealand's national skydiving federation and APF's closest geographic peer. Operates the same member-based model with delegated regulatory authority and FAI affiliation in a similar small market.
• Deutscher Fallschirmsportverband (DFV): German national skydiving federation and FAI member. Comparable to APF in operating a member-based regulatory model for sport parachuting in a major European aviation market.
• Fédération Française de Parachutisme (FFP): French national skydiving federation affiliated with FAI, responsible for training, competition, and safety oversight. Comparable in scope to APF as a national member of the FAI ecosystem.
• British Parachute Association (BPA): UK national governing body for sport parachuting with delegated regulatory authority from the Civil Aviation Authority. Directly comparable to APF in operating model, member certification, and tandem/AFF training oversight.
• Canadian Sport Parachuting Association (CSPA): Canada's national skydiving governing body, providing certification, training standards, and competition oversight. Highly comparable to APF in structure, scale, and FAI-aligned regulatory function.

Regional players

• Air Sport Australia Confederation (ASAC): Australian national air sports confederation recognized by the Australian Sports Commission as the NSO for air sports. APF is a member; ASAC provides cross-air-sport governance, anti-doping policy, and international representation that APF participates in rather than competes with.

Others

• Australian Sports Commission: Australian Government agency that funds and supports national sporting organizations including APF. Adjacent rather than competitive; relevant for understanding APF's funding ecosystem and policy alignment.
• Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA): Australian Government civil aviation regulator that delegates Part 149 authority to APF. Not a peer but a critical counterparty whose policy decisions directly determine APF's operating scope and renewal risk.

Broad incumbents

• FAI - Fédération Aéronautique Internationale: Global air sports federation of which APF is a member through ASAC. Not a direct competitor but a broader governing umbrella that APF participates in for international competition and standards alignment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/APFSkydive
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgrFUFTzvTjTlVh0DrnKfGw
• Facebookfacebook.com/apfskydive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-parachute-federation
• Instagraminstagram.com/apfskydive

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Australian Parachute Federation