Skydiver Becomes First To Land (into cardboard boxes) Without Chute - Polidicks

[B]A stuntman has entered the history books to become the first skydiver to land safely without using a parachute.[/B] [URL="http://www.thestuntbase.com/"][B]Gary Connery[/B][/URL], 42, leapt 2,400ft from a helicopter while wearing a specially made "wing suit" and swooped towards a "runway" of 18,600 cardboard boxes in an Oxfordshire field.Five seconds before he hit the target he flared his suit to decrease his descent and glide angle before plunging into the boxes to break his fall. [IMG]http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2012/May/Week4/16234094.jpg[/IMG] "It was so comfortable, so soft," Mr Connery told Sky News immediately afterwards."My calculations obviously worked out and I'm glad they did."His flight lasted approximately 50 seconds, during which he was cheered on by hundreds of supporters, including his son Cali, 14, and wife Vivian, who said she was "relieved it's all over".The jump, which was recorded by dozens of journalists and camera crews, is expected to be watched all over the world. [IMG]http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2012/May/Week4/16233467.jpg[/IMG] It had taken 100 volunteers and friends six hours to build the landing strip, which was 350ft long, 40ft wide and 12ft high.On the approach to the runway the words "Go Gary" were spelled out with cardboard boxes.The stunt had originally been planned to take place in April, but weeks of wet weather forced Mr Connery, from Oxfordshire, to postpone the jump.His team had to obtain special permission from the [URL="http://www.caa.co.uk/"][B]Civil Aviation Authority[/B][/URL].Following Mr Connery out of the helicopter was fellow wing suit pilot Mark Sutton, who filmed the stunt up until the last moment before deploying his parachute and landing safely.As part of the preparations, Mr Connery, who has performed stunts in films such as Batman Begins and The Beach, studied the flight of kite birds and how they use their tail to control flight. [video][URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEal8B_36Ac[/URL][/video] [URL]http://news.sky.com/home/strange-news/article/16233460[/URL] Thought this may be insteresting. Really cool.

This is truly a new landmark in being fucking insane

Wow. I hope he still had a parachute on him in case he hadn't been able to land where he wanted.

Sounds like the basis for a Mythbusters episode.

[QUOTE=n0cturni;36070904]Wow. I hope he still had a parachute on him in case he hadn't been able to land where he wanted.[/QUOTE] I think he had a parachute, but since it was from such a low height it would probably be useful only at the initial stages of his jump.

That must've taken some serious balls.

[IMG]http://news.sky.com/sky-news/content/StaticFile/jpg/2012/May/Week4/16233467.jpg[/IMG] what a slim guy

[IMG]http://www.facepunch.com/fp/ratings/box.png[/IMG] x 18600

Well, it's not the falling that hurts, it's the abrupt, hard stop at the end that gets you. Carboard boxes seem an odd choice though, I guess it was more cost effective than lining an entire runway with giant airbags.

Now adapt this for military use. Aside from that... This is pretty ballsy considering one screw up would of given a whole new meaning to rug burn.

Dat targeting system

[QUOTE=Swebonny;36070944]I think he had a parachute, but since it was from such a low height it would probably be useful only at the initial stages of his jump.[/QUOTE] From the pictures it looks like he had a chute, yeah. But Base jumpers chutes have 'very' quick opening times and would have been useful up until the very last seconds of the jump.