In a first of its kind jump, a daredevil skydiver on Saturday became the first to jump from a height of 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) without a parachute, landing in a net in southern California. Luke Aikens, 42, who has 18,000 jumps under his belt, completed the jump in Simi Valley, landing in a net measuring 100 feet by 100 feet.
“Aikins’ leap represents the culmination of a 26-year career that will set a personal and world record for the highest jump without a parachute or wing suit,” his spokesman Justin Aclin said in an email.
Lights were set along the side of the net to serve as a guide for Aikens to aim himself as he hurtled toward it.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous,” Aikens told an interviewer on the Fox broadcast, before boarding a propeller plane to perform the jump.
The entire jump was caught on the following video. It probably goes without saying no to try this at home, or anywhere else for that matter. It is also safe to say that when central banks finally lose control of the relentless stock market levitation, a much bigger “plunge protection” net will be needed to save the S&P500.
Pretty dumb thing to do. What if he hits a pigeon or some shit and it knocks him off course?
Quite a feat actually, better than anything Evel Knievel did IMO.
If it were me doing it I think I would have strapped a watermelon on my back just for the fun of it.
wonder what the final speed he was traveling ?
It isn’t better than..it is just as thrilling. It seemed like daredevils were a thing of the past, he redeems this Caitlyn generation.
Vid had him at 150mph.
“Based on wind resistance, for example, the terminal velocity of a skydiver in a belly-to-earth (i.e., face down) free-fall position is about 195 km/h (122 mph or 54 m/s).[2] This velocity is the asymptotic limiting value of the velocity, and the forces acting on the body balance each other more and more closely as the terminal velocity is approached. In this example, a speed of 50% of terminal velocity is reached after only about 3 seconds, while it takes 8 seconds to reach 90%, 15 seconds to reach 99% and so on”. Wikipedia.
More to the point, I wonder what his heart rate got up to just before he hit? More than 148 I bet.
Yeah, I would have loved to see a heart rate monitor during the fall.
Incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. There is a fine line between the two.
I think the same thing of truck drivers who try to make it across the country without taking a break to sleep.
Absolutely. Fucking. Amazing.
The guy must be from Cali.
The crowd reported that his balls made a huge metallic clanging sound when he hit the net .
What could you possible do to top that adrenaline rush? Maybe place the net over an active volcano or something? Damn. I get nervous on 20 foot extension ladders.
Where did they find a plane powerful enough to lif balls that big?
I always root for Darwin in these kinds of things.
When I did this same trick I was on acid. He should try it on acid.