German skydiver Max Manow has pulled off an unprecedented stunt. From an altitude of 10,000 feet, Manow jumped from a helicopter over Arizona’s Grand Canyon, specifically at Hell Hole Bend in the Navajo Nation’s Little Colorado River Tribal Park, then attached himself to a plane in mid-flight and continued to ascend without touching the ground .
Just before the manoeuvre, it reached a speed of approximately 80 knots (41 m/s) alongside the aircraft , achieving a climb of 500 feet per minute (2.54 m/s) before releasing and continuing its free-fall sequence. All this in an impressive natural setting, with a canyon 240 metres wide and 427 metres deep. The following video shows the Manow’s feat.
“It’s all about trust,” says the parachutist
The feat, sponsored by Red Bull Skydive , involved months of preparation, wind tunnel training and technical tweaks to the aircraft. Manow, equipped with a wingsuit, had to catch up with a Cessna 182 piloted by experienced aerobat Luke Aikins, who was swooping down to synchronise the move. By grabbing onto a hook on the plane, Manow was propelled back to a safe altitude, allowing him to repeat the sequence.
This “endless jump” opens up a new horizon for extreme sports. The possibility of carrying out continuous flights without landing poses technical and logistical challenges that could transform skydiving into a prolonged experience in the air.
It’s all about confidence. I had to learn many different ways to fly.
said Manow after the success of the mission.
The project represents a turning point in the exploration of new flight techniques and reaffirms the innovative spirit of action sports.
This unprecedented leap undoubtedly pushes the boundaries of skydiving and challenges the very definition of what it means to fly.
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Source and photos: Red Bull