On 30th September 2025, professional climber from Slovenia, Domen Škofic, made history by becoming the first person in the world to complete a specially designed climbing route along the wings of a flying glider. This unique stunt was set up within the Red Bull “Plane Climb” project.
This unprecedented project took place above Aigen im Ennstal in Styria, a federal state in southern Austria, and involved one of the Let L-13 Blaník gliders belonging to the Red Bull Blanix Team. This iconic glider, built in 1972 in the former Czechoslovakia, was transformed into a three-dimensional flying climbing route.
Once the Blaník had reached an altitude of 2,500 metres, Domen Škofic opened the canopy, got up from the rear seat of the cabin, with a parachute on his back, and began a figure-eight climb around both wings of the glider.
First, Škofic climbed onto the underside of the left wing and made his way towards the fuselage. Then he proceeded along the underside of the right wing, reaching its centre before smoothly transitioning to its upper surface with a precise move.
The route around the glider equated to climbing difficulty grade 8a on the French sport climbing scale, which is widely used internationally and begins at grade 1 (the easiest) and currently extends up to grade 9c (the hardest). The 8a is a grade reserved for highly advanced climbers, and it is only attempted successfully by a small fraction of the community. However, compared to a vertical climbing wall, this route had a completely different dynamic.
In addition to dealing with variable gravity, the climber had to contend with a strong air stream of 80 – 100 kph pushing him backwards from the front and sides. The task was even more challenging due to the perceived temperature of -10 °C.
After about a minute, the Slovenian climber reached the end of the climb route, completing his world-first feat with a parachute jump from the wing of a glider, performing a backflip from a height of 1,500 metres. For Škofic, it was a kind of “victory jump”, symbolising courage, skill, and the desire to discover and push the boundaries of what is possible.
“It was much harder than expected – an experience that I can hardly put into words. There has definitely never been anything like it before. After a few attempts during the project, I began to doubt whether it was achievable. Ultimately, I was fortunate to be confronted with a route that was just difficult enough for me to succeed over those two video production days.” – said Domen Škofic for whom the “Plane Climb” trial was more than just a sporting project.
Domen Škofic, originating from Ljubljana, showed talent and passion for climbing from a young age. At just 15 years old, he became one of the youngest people to complete a 9a climbing route. He won the Lead Climbing World Cup in 2016, and in May 2025 the Slovenian climber completed his most challenging route to date, “Move” (9b+). As a member of the Slovenian Army Sports Squad, he fulfilled his dream of flying and completed parachute training.
The “Plane Climb” combines disciplines being the two Škofic´s greatest passions, that fascinated him from his youth, ultimately leading him to attempt climbing a flying aircraft.
The world’s first “Plane Climb” was successfully completed thanks to thorough preparation involving wind tunnel training, simulations, and numerous parachute jumps. Additionally, Domen Škofic underwent intensive strength training to prepare himself physically. “It wasn’t so much about finger strength, but about being physically strong enough to hold on despite all the forces acting on me.” – said Škofic.
However, the biggest challenge for Škofic while climbing the glider soaring two and a half kilometres above the ground was, as he said: “Keeping my fingers from getting too cold and finding the right rhythm through the G-forces.”
The “Plane Climb” project posed a challenge for both the climber and the pilot of the glider. The L-13 Blaník is a relatively large glider, which results in its exceptional aerodynamic stability and ease of piloting even at low speeds, which was a particularly important advantage in the case of the “Plane Climb” challenge. Domen’s father, Pavel Škofic — a mechanical engineer and co-creator of carving skis — designed special aerodynamic handles that were mounted on the wings of the glider with millimetre precision. Each of those handles can withstand a load of up to 1.2 tonnes.
“For me, as a pilot, that’s an enormous benefit. We practised and discussed every move on the ground. Everything was rehearsed in detail. Domen knew exactly how I would fly, and I knew his moves just as precisely. In the air, only minimal communication was necessary – the procedures had to be perfect.” – said Ewald Roithner from the Red Bull Blanix Team who piloted the Blaník in the “Plane Climb” project.
“Climbing always gave me the urge to jump. Combining climbing with skydiving in this project was a dream come true.” – concluded Domen Škofic.
Cover photo: Mirja Geh / © Red Bull Content Pool. Information from the Red Bull company press release were used.
