It was in early November 2024 that we first wrote about wingsuit flyer Peter Salzmann and his feat of breaking three world records in a single flight. Now, almost a year later, the Austrian skydiver has once again pushed the boundaries of human flight.
On Tuesday, 19th August, Peter Salzmann from Salzburg jumped from the so-called “Ecstasy Board”, a narrow rock ledge located 3,713 metres above sea level, on the north face of the Eiger in Switzerland. The wingsuit pilot flew 2,073 metres down the valley and landed safely at an altitude of 1,640 metres, setting a new B.A.S.E. (an acronym that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump – Building, Antenna, Span and Earth) jump World Speed Record.
Thanks to a specially designed wingsuit, the Austrian athlete reached a flight speed of 347 kph. Flying at this speed for seven seconds, he beat the previous B.A.S.E. jump world speed record of 340 kph set by Chris Byrnes from Australia.
The flight data, including the speed achieved by Salzmann, could be measured accurately thanks to a tracker that had been integrated into his suit and a radar gun. Additionally, the wingsuit pilot was tracked by the world’s fastest camera drone, which he managed to outpace.
The free fall, from launch to landing, lasted just 35 seconds, and Salzmann achieved the record speed in only 20 seconds of flight. This attempt put the B.A.S.E. jumper’s body and equipment under extreme stress.
“Every little movement determines whether you can finish the flight cleanly. It’s absolute body tension, total control – and the knowledge that you can’t afford to make any mistakes.” – said Peter Salzmann.
The record-breaking flight of the Austrian wingsuit pilot was filmed using the aforementioned Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), made by Dutch Drone Gods. This camera drone, the fastest in the world and able to reach speed of 350 kph, was created a year ago to challenge four-time Formula One World Champion Max Verstappen at the Silverstone circuit. During Peter Salzmann’s attempt, the UAV was pushed to its absolute flight limits.
“Normally, we fly horizontally behind racing cars. For this wingsuit B.A.S.E. jump, we had to fly vertically downwards, a scenario we had never flown in before.” – explained Dutch Drone Gods founder and drone pilot, Ralph Hogenbirk.
For the Austrian wingsuit pilot, collaborating with the Dutch Drone Gods was primarily a matter of mutual trust. “Trust in the drone and the pilot was extremely important, because at these extremely high speeds there is no room for error.” – said Salzmann.
“Turbulence behind the wingsuit made it a technical challenge to maintain a stable image at over 340 km/h. The drone was also at its absolute limit.” – added Hogenbirk.
In the effort to set the new world record in B.A.S.E. jumping, Peter Salzmann needed the right wingsuit. Therefore, he worked also with several manufacturers, including a team of engineers from Red Bull Advanced Technologies in the UK, to develop different versions of wingsuits. He also tested various flight positions and analysed the results in the smallest details.
“Even a minimal difference can add several kilometres per hour. That’s what makes this sport so extreme: the smallest nuances determine success or failure. The record is confirmation that with innovation and hard work, we can keep pushing boundaries. I’ve always been driven by the question: how fast can you really fly? I always believed in my idea that I could break this record.” – commented Peter Salzmann after breaking the record.
Peter Salzmann, born in 1986, is one of the leading wingsuit pilots in the world. He became a skydiver and B.A.S.E. jumper at the age of 20, quickly completing over 500 jumps around the world before focusing on wingsuit flying. In 2024, he set several world records with his newly developed “Wingsuit Foil”. More information about Peter Salzmann and his previous record-breaking feat can be found in our article here.
Cover photo: Joerg Mitter / © Red Bull Content Pool. Information from the Red Bull company press release were used.
