Three thousand meters above Hell Hole Bend canyon in northern Arizona, a German skydiver crouched in a helicopter. Max Manow has been skydiving since he was 14 years old, and is currently doing so with the support of Red Bull, the energy drink company that bankrolls extreme stunts.
The glossy video of what follows appears to be a scene from a Mission Impossible movie. But it’s a real stunt, and the first of its kind ever to be attempted, let alone completed successfully.
Manow leaped from a helicopter, falling toward the rocky canyon below. With his custom-made wingsuit, he tailed a nosediving Cessna 182 plane. The plane had a hook attachment added for the stunt. Manow used it to hook onto the plummeting aircraft.
The plane pulled up and began to climb. It was piloted by Luke Aikins, who serves in what’s called the Red Bull Air Force. Three cheers for these brave aviators who protect our beverages.
Aikins specially modified the Cessna 182 for the stunt. Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
“When Max called and asked if I could pull him on a plane, I thought he might be a bit crazy,” admitted Aikins.
But with Manow hooked on, he ascended 450m in three minutes. The pair were in constant radio communication. This was vital since Manow was relying on Aikins to judge when it was safe to move on to the next stage of the trick.
Once they reached 760m above the canyon, Aikins gave him the go-ahead. Manow unhooked himself and immediately went into freefall.
Manow enjoys a refreshing Red Bull after the stunt. Photo: Red Bull Content Pool
Future of the sport
Thus went what Red Bull has dubbed “the world’s first mid-air plane hook maneuver!” This trick allows the skydiver to (theoretically) skydive continuously rather than having to stop and repack a parachute.
This, Manow suggests, will revolutionize the sport of falling out of things without dying. “I could repeat the process over and over again –- an endless skydive.”
Five months of hard work, training, and equipment modification paid off in the stunt. But Manow is already looking toward the future and how to build upon the impressive trick. He is proud to be changing the activity he has loved since 2002: “Who knows where this will take the future of the sport?”
