What is the most important task during freefall?

The most important task during freefall is maintaining altitude awareness to ensure that the parachutist acts at the assigned pull altitude. This awareness is critical for safety, as it helps the skydiver to execute the proper deployment of the parachute at the correct altitude, which is vital for a safe landing. Deploying the parachute at the right time allows for adequate altitude to manage the parachute's opening and to navigate effectively during descent.

While maintaining a stable body position is also important for controlling the body's orientation and stability in freefall, it ultimately supports the primary goal of altitude awareness. If a skydiver is not aware of their altitude, they risk the possibility of deploying the parachute either too high or too low, which can lead to dangerous situations such as insufficient time to establish proper canopy control.

Performing maneuvers such as a barrel roll and monitoring fellow jumpers can enhance the jump experience and improve formation flying skills, but they should not take precedence over the fundamental responsibility of knowing one's altitude and acting accordingly.