25,000 ft, no parachute

bnt

On Saturday night, about 1AM our time, a skydiver will attempt the first intentional survivable jump from altitude without a parachute, wingsuit or any other system to slow him down. The plan is to land on a very big net instead: details here.

The jumper, Luke Aikans, is a veteran skydiver and stuntman, and the stunt will be shown live on a Fox reality show, Heaven Sent. "Live" meaning "with a few seconds delay", in case it goes spectacularly wrong. I suspect the news channels won't be far behind. Wingsuits are so 2012: this is the new elite extreme sport ... :cool:

tomwaterford

Wouldn't Ya be fair tempted to swop the net for a giant tarpuline

me_irl

Reminds me of that bit in Cube.

Involves chicken wire.

nullzero

What could possibly go wrong?

HardenendMan

Why do I get the feeling this is gonna end bad?

TSMGUY

bnt wrote: »

On Saturday night, about 1AM our time, a skydiver will attempt the first intentional survivable jump from altitude without a parachute, wingsuit or any other system to slow him down. The plan is to land on a very big net instead: details here.

The jumper, Luke Aikans, is a veteran skydiver and stuntman, and the stunt will be shown live on a Fox reality show, Heaven Sent. "Live" meaning "with a few seconds delay", in case it goes spectacularly wrong. I suspect the news channels won't be far behind. Wingsuits are so 2012: this is the new elite extreme sport ... :cool:

HardenendMan wrote: »

Why do I get the feeling this is gonna end bad?

That's why!

Armchair Andy

So long as he bends his knees on impact all should be fine.

Gen.Zhukov

Armchair Andy wrote: »

So long as he bends his knees on impact all should be fine.

Yep, 50 or so trial jumps backwards off a 45 gal drum should see him through.

Stigura

If it goes wrong? That final bit of footage will be the most sought after clip since Horsecore!

biko

Tuck and roll
Tuck and roll

Gen.Zhukov

Would I be right in thinking that one or two people here have taken the wee jump into the abyss ?

mzungu

I wonder will they even bother having an ambulance on standby? If he misses it won't be much use.

Your Face

Fascinating.

stampydmonkey

biko wrote: »

Tuck and roll
Tuck and roll

My thoughts exactly....keep the feet together on the stand up...10/10

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Stigura wrote: »

If it goes wrong? That final bit of footage will be the most sought after clip since Horsecore!

I don't even want to know, but it's taking everything I got not to google what this is. I'm not going to though, if it is what I think it is, I don't want to see it.

PARlance

Be some laugh if they replaced the safety net with a trampoline.

stampydmonkey

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

I don't even want to know, but it's taking everything I got not to google what this is. I'm not going to though, if it is what I think it is, I don't want to see it.

Ah go on...

hatrickpatrick

To be fair, anyone can skydive without a parachute, and with no prior training whatsoever.

Once.

Finbarr Murphy

At least they have tested the safety net.

'The net he'll be landing on has been tested using dummies - one of which crashed right through the net.'

Errr, doesn't sound so good to me.

Also I wonder if will he be wearing a helmet for safety reasons or just for the camera?

Finbarr Murphy

At least they have tested the safety net.

'The net he'll be landing on has been tested using dummies - one of which crashed right through the net.'

Errr, doesn't sound so good to me.

Esel

Many years ago, a guy jumped totally naked, no chute. A co-jumper passed him a chute during freefall. He put it on and landed safely.

feargale

Esel wrote: »

Many years ago, a guy jumped totally naked, no chute. A co-jumper passed him a chute during freefall. He put it on and landed safely.

Good job the co-jumper wasn't a member of the League of Decency. He would have passed him a trousers instead.

BorneTobyWilde

I hope he hits the back of the net .

Renegade Mechanic

mzungu wrote: »

I wonder will they even bother having an ambulance on standby? If he misses it won't be much use.

It'll be there for the people that bits of him hit

The_Valeyard

I will be keeping an eye on this out of morbid curiousity.



Like to say he will be fine, but that high up and no parachute.....will be interesting indeed.

Esel

feargale wrote: »

Good job the co-jumper wasn't a member of the League of Decency. He would have passed him a trousers instead.

The original Free Willy.

bodhrandude

Is that quite high, 25,000 feet.

20Cent

It's not the height that kills people it's the sudden stop.

Esel

bodhrandude wrote: »

Is that quite high, 25,000 feet.

25,000 feet high.

Seriously, yes, it is.

Ken.

Do you qualify for a Darwin award if you volunteer for something beyond stupid?

endacl

Ken.

bodhrandude wrote: »

Is that quite high, 25,000 feet.

25000 feet is the distance of Heuston train station to O'Connell bridge and back and back again.

recylingbin

ken wrote: »

25000 feet is the distance of Heuston train station to O'Connell bridge and back and back again.

That's grand then. I've often done that myself

Agent Coulson

bodhrandude wrote: »

Is that quite high, 25,000 feet.

About 4 and half miles

B.A._Baracus

So has he done it yet?

TalkingBull

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

So has he done it yet?

he flew away, landed down at heuston station they say...

B.A._Baracus

TalkingBull wrote: »

he flew away, landed down at heuston station they say...

haha.
Just realised op said saturday night at 1am. I guess Sunday 1am so

Canis Lupus

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

So has he done it yet?

It'll be tomorrow.

Look up the people who have survived this sort of drop unplanned.. Absolutely mad.

Ruu

News channels are salivating at the thoughts of disaster.

4ensic15

ken wrote: »

25000 feet is the distance of Heuston train station to O'Connell bridge and back and back again.

When did the move Heuston Station? It was about 12,000 feet the last time I walked it.

Ken.

4ensic15 wrote: »

When did the move Heuston Station? It was about 12,000 feet the last time I walked it.

It's 2.3 Km according to Google maps. 25000 ft = 7.6 km.

Felix Jones is God

Im going to follow this thread for no other reason than morbid curiosity

gigantic09

Van Halen,Something Happens and House of Pain lined up for free gig to coincide with the event.

Heckler

The idiocy of some people never fails to amaze me.

I hope he manages it but I won't be crying any tears if he ends up as jam.

Heckler

I'll put odds on he has some sort of reserve chute so if he realises hes off target hes ok.

If not he has balls of steel but he's still an idiot.

SEPT 23 1989

Would the net not act as a strainer at that speed leaving a pile of mince on the other side?

machiavellianme

Stigura wrote: »

If it goes wrong? That final bit of footage will be the most sought after clip since Horsecore!

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

I don't even want to know, but it's taking everything I got not to google what this is. I'm not going to though, if it is what I think it is, I don't want to see it.

Felt the same and was pleasantly surprised.
Awesome.



And completely safe for work, just keep the volume under control and clear some space around you.

4ensic15

ken wrote: »

It's 2.3 Km according to Google maps. 25000 ft = 7.6 km.

That is one way. there and back would be 4.6 km not 7.6

Burial.

Well one for things for sure, he'll have an adrenaline rush and an experience few if any can compare with. Fair play to the lad.

Burial.

Burial. wrote: »

Well one for things for sure, he'll have an adrenaline rush and an experience few if any can compare with. Fair play to the lad.

I once fell out of bed while asleep. That was some adrenaline rush.