SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA — Luke Aikins became the first skydiver in the world to jump from a plane without a parachute or wingsuit on Saturday.
In an heartstopping stunt called, “Heaven Sent,” the 42-year-old jumped at 25,000 feet above the desert and without using a parachute landed in a 100-foot-by-100-foot, two-tiered net.
The jump was broadcast live on television during an hour-long special on the Fox network.
Aikins fell for about two minutes. Right before he landed, he flipped onto his back and traveling at 120 mph, stuck the landing.
According to Aikins, he’d been getting ready for this jump for two years. He’s performed over 18,000 jumps.
According to the Associated Press, “Just before climbing into a plane to make the jump, Aikins said he had been ordered to wear a parachute but indicated he wouldn’t open it. As the plane was climbing to 25,000 feet about the drop zone he said the requirement had been lifted and he took off the chute.”
