Parachutes? Who needs em?
Posted: Wed May 23, 2012 9:19 pm
A stuntman is thought to have become the first person to jump out of a helicopter and land safely without deploying a parachute.
Gary Connery, 42, used a "wingsuit" to make his descent from 2,400ft (730m) above Oxfordshire.
The 42-year-old said he felt "elated" after landing on a pile of 18,600 cardboard boxes.
He was fitted with a parachute for the jump, which saw him accelerate to 80mph, but it was not deployed.
The entire flight took less than a minute to complete.
During the flight, father-of-two Mr Connery dropped for three seconds before his suit "started to fly".
He used a landing strip of cardboard boxes, known as a box rig, covering about 350ft (100m) by 45ft (15m).
Cameraman Mark Sutton also jumped from the helicopter in a wingsuit but deployed a parachute before landing.
Minutes after landing, Mr Connery said: "I feel incredible, just completely elated.
"I have been training and planning for this record attempt for many years now and I am so proud to have achieved a world first.
"I want to thank everyone involved for their support and belief in me because this really has been a team effort.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-ox ... e-18160632
