Team Geared Up

HEATHROW, UK (Team Geared Up) - This post was written while in the airport, I’m now posting it I’m back online! Jumping out of a plane and landing without a parachute. Is it one of the most ridiculous things you’ve ever heard? Yes. Thanks to Alan Masterson for mailing in this story! It’s great!

Three groups of skydivers reckon wing suits have gotten advanced enough to be able to land on the ground in one without a parachute. The challenge is on to be the first person to land one without killing yourself, my question is, how do you practice for this? It’s not like you can abort a landing if required. It is you who is aborted!

The current record is the ability to reduce their vertical descent to 30mph (with a 70mph horizontal speed). There are 3 methods being attempted.

1/ Snow-slope. Just like a ski-jumper lands these guys will come in at the exact same angle as the slope meaning there should be zero vertical speed when they touch-down, just a lot of forward speed! They intend to skid to arrest.

2/ Two Million Dollar runway to land on. This runway will also be angled at a slope but also built to slow down the diver correctly. You really would want to be accurate though. The jumper will be slowed by a change in angle to uphill I believe.

3/ Vertical suit. I’m unsure how, but this suit allows the jumper to transition to a vertical standing position to allow them to land on their feet. Preusmable with some landing carriage or skis.

Nuts! Watch this video courtesy of the New York Times. It’s very good.

-Robin-

(Image Credit: Axel Koester for The New York Times, left; Perry Trowbridge/AFP)