Luke Aikins
Born (1973-11-21) November 21, 1973
Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.[1]
Occupation(s)Skydiver, pilot, stuntman, photographer
Years active1985–present
Known forFirst person to intentionally skydive and land without a parachute or a wingsuit and survive
SpouseMonica Lee Aikins[2]
ChildrenLogan (son)[3]

Luke Aikins (born November 21, 1973)[1] is an American professional skydiver, BASE jumper, pilot, and aerial photographer. He is the first person to intentionally dive from mid-tropospheric altitude and land safely without a parachute or a wingsuit and the second skydiver to intentionally jump and safely land without using a parachute.[4][5][6]

Aikins is affiliated with Red Bull.[7]

Sky diving

Aikins has coached United States Navy SEALs and NASCAR's Brian Vickers, and has advised the military on skydiving techniques.[8][9] He is also a safety and training advisor for the United States Parachute Association.[9][10] He is also an aerial photographer and his photos have been published in major magazines and newspapers.[1] He has completed more than 18,000 jumps since he started skydiving at age 12.[11]

In 2012, he helped skydiver Felix Baumgartner jump from a helium balloon in the stratosphere at 120,000 feet (36,576 m).[12][13] Aikins also worked on stunts in the film Iron Man 3.[14]

In 2020, he helped David Blaine with his Ascension stunt.

July 2016 jump

External videos
video icon Heaven Sent Stride Gum Presents Heaven Sent: A Mad Intense Jump
video icon Local news interview Luke Aikins 25,000-Foot Freefall[15]

On July 30, 2016, Aikins jumped from an aircraft without any parachute or wingsuit at an altitude of 25,000 feet (7,620 m) above Simi Valley, California, watched by a live audience. After about two minutes of free fall he successfully landed in a 100-by-100-foot (30 by 30 m) net just outside of Simi Valley, California.[16][4] Aikins reached a terminal velocity of 120 miles per hour (193 km/h) during the fall.[14] The net was made from Spectra, a high-density polyethylene cord.[17] It had four compressed air cylinders designed to gently slow him down after impact.[17] The first skydiver to intentionally jump and land without using a parachute was Gary Connery in 2012 who wore a wingsuit to aid his landing.[18]

Although several news articles headlines describe Aikins achievement by focusing on the fact that he jumped and went to freefall without parachute, many others have jumped from aircraft without having a parachute when they departed the plane – they were either handed a parachute by a fellow jumper while in freefall or maneuvered to a container carrying a parachute, with first successes dating back to 1965.[19] Others have jumped out of an aircraft and returned to the same or another aircraft without making use of parachute.[20][21]

Red Bull plane-swap stunt crash

During the highly publicized stunt staged as a Hulu On-Demand special event, he and his cousin Andy Farrington attempted and failed to swap planes mid air, resulting in the total loss of one plane.[22]

Aikins and Carrington had been denied permission to undertake the stunt by the Federal Aviation Administration, and subsequently had their pilot licenses revoked by the governing body of the FAA.[23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Luke Aikins". Red Bull. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  2. ↑ Dunlap, Tiare (July 26, 2016). "Meet the Husband and Father Who's Skydiving from 25,000 Feet Without a Parachute". People. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Skydiver Luke Aikins makes parachute-free jump". CBS News. July 30, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Rogers, John (July 31, 2016). "Skydiver becomes first person to jump and land without chute, a net was used". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Skydiver to jump from plane without a parachute on live TV". The Guardian. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  6. ↑ Rogers, John (August 4, 2016). "Skydiver becomes first person to jump and land without chute". Herald-Review.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  7. ↑ Pool, Michael Clark (October 26, 2021). "Luke Aikins". Red Bull. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Contracting Profile: Para Tactics LLC Shelton WA". govtribe.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Skydiver becomes first person to jump and land without a parachute". Mashable. Associated Press. July 31, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  10. ↑ Staff. "Profile – Luke Aikins | D-21189". parachutistonline.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  11. ↑ Astor, Maggie (July 30, 2016). "Skydiver Survives Jump From 25,000 Feet, and Without a Parachute". The New York Times. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Luke Aikins". Red Bull Stratos. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  13. ↑ Levine, Aaron (July 18, 2016). "Graham's Luke Aikins prepares for 25,000-foot jump without a parachute". KCPQ. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  14. 1 2 "World first: Skydiver plummets 25,000 feet – with no parachute". CNN. July 31, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Daredevil survives 25,000-foot jump without chute over Simi Valley | Video". Ventura County Star. Associated Press. July 30, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Skydiver Luke Aikins Lands History-Making Jump From 25,000 Feet – With No Parachute or Wing Suit – For "Stride Gum Presents Heaven Sent"" (Press release). Mondelez International. July 31, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016 – via PR Newswire.
  17. 1 2 "This Man Jumped Out of a Plane With No Parachute". National Geographic. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  18. ↑ Cooper, Charlie (May 23, 2012). "Gary Connery lands safely after 2,400 ft helicopter jump without parachute". The Independent. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Jumping without a parachute". The Washington Post. August 23, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Plane to Plane Exchange". Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Wingsuit History". Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  22. ↑ "F.A.A. Revokes Pilot Licenses After Midair Plane-Swapping Stunt". The New York Times. May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  23. ↑ Mendoza, Jordan. "Pilots who unsuccessfully attempted first-ever 'plane swap' have licenses revoked by FAA". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 13, 2023.


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