Top 5 Fun Skydiving Information & Facts
We’re nerds over here. Okay: We’re nerds that jump out of airplanes for fun. But we’re still nerds! And that means that we love to flex our bulging knowledge muscles for passersby. So: Do you have tickets for the (cognitive) gun show? Check these out.
1. How old was the world’s youngest skydiver?
A whopping four years old, as a matter of fact. As of publication (and, hopefully, for long after), the youngest person to have skydived was the four-year-old the child of German parents. Little Toni made that in South Africa in 2000 (which would make her old enough to legally raise a glass in America to her accomplishment as of, like, last year). Too bad there’s very little chance she remembers it.
2. How high was the highest skydive without a parachute?
Can you imagine getting out of a plane without a parachute at 25,000 feet? Well: that’s what professional stuntman Luke Aikins did in a publicity stunt for a chewing-gum company. Instead of slowing his fall up high with a parachute, he slowed it down low by landing in a specially-designed net.
3. How old is the oldest skydiver ever to make a jump?
Surprisingly many folks celebrate their first three-digit birthday by making a skydive, but the record for the oldest skydiver actually belongs to a fella in the United Kingdom who celebrated 101 years and 38 days of fine livin’ by jumping from a plane over the southwest of England.
4. What’s the biggest all-female skydive of all time?
This one isn’t just cool–it’s heartwarming! Jump for the Cause, a skydiving charity in support of the cancer foundation City of Hope, put 181 women from all over the world into the sky over Perris. A sky full of Wonder Women, saving lives: what a landmark!
5. What’s the largest number of skydives ever done by a single person in a single day?
Speaking of superheroes, check this out: In 2006, retired Army Special Forces badass Jay Stokes celebrated his 50th birthday by jumping out of an airplane 640 times in 24 hours. To pull off this incredible feat of endurance, Jay performed each jump from very low altitude (2,100-foot), landing only long enough to shed one parachute and strap on another while running to a waiting plane to take off again. Honestly, we want to pour ourselves a strong drink just thinking about what it must have taken to get that done.
Maybe you will be the one to be apart of a future skydiving record, but it won’t happen unless you make your first leap! If you’re ready for an adventure of a lifetime, check out Skydive California in the California Bay Area!
