Red Bull wingsuit pilot sets three new world records with foil
Austrian wingsuit pilot Peter Salzmann set three world records with his new foil wingsuit. He flew from the Swiss mountain Jungfrau for almost six minutes, covering 12.5 kilometres and 3402 metres in altitude. In doing so, he secured the world records for the longest base flight time, the longest distance and the biggest jump.
The foil wingsuit has come full circle. Inspired by aeroplane wings, so-called hydrofoils have given buoyancy to all water sports equipment in recent years - from high-performance sailing yachts to surfboards.
Now they are recapturing the skies in a new way: with a foil wingsuit, with which Austrian base jumper Peter Salzmann reached speeds of up to 200 km/h during his flight from a height of more than 4,000 metres without a motor.
With his 12.5-kilometre flight, he clearly broke the previous world record of 7.5 kilometres for the longest base flight distance. He also set new standards in terms of flight time and altitude metres covered.
The 2.1 metre long wing and the foil design were developed by Peter Salzmann together with the Red Bull engineering team, who contributed their experience from Formula 1 and aerodynamics. It took three years to optimise the wing to the point where such a radical leap was possible.
For Peter, the flight not only represents a personal record, but also a milestone in wingsuit development that could herald a new chapter. He said in a media statement about the flight itself: "It was a real challenge - it was super exhausting, but also the best feeling in between. All in all, I'm just super happy that everything went so well and that I managed the longest foil flight."
Research diver, outdoor guide and SUP instructor – I love being in, on and around water. Lakes, rivers and the ocean are my playgrounds. For a change of perspective, I look at the world from above while trail running or flying drones.
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