Chasing the dream: Peter Salzmann makes wingsuit history with record flight
In a breathtaking ballet with the wind, Austrian wingsuit pilot Peter Salzmann has audaciously entered the chronicles of human aviation. His recent leap—nothing short of Faustian in its daring—has rewritten the boundaries of aerial escapades.
On October 24, 2024, amid the majestic snow-draped peaks of Switzerland’s Jungfrau, Salzmann embarked from a towering perch of 4,063 meters (13,333 feet), donning a revolutionary wingsuit foil that promises to reshape the very essence of flight. Nearly instinctively, he hurtled earthward, reaching a dizzying velocity of 200 kilometers per hour (approximately 124 miles per hour). For a staggering six minutes—propelled solely by the push of gravity—he traversed a breathtaking distance of 12.5 kilometers (7.77 miles) before the deployment of his parachute serenely ushered him back to solid ground between Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken.
This audacious feat has not just cemented his status in the annals of history; it has shattered records like delicate glass. Salzmann achieved the Longest BASE Flight Time of 5 minutes and 56 seconds, the Longest BASE Flight Distance set at 12.5 kilometers, and a remarkable altitude differential of 3,402 meters (11,161 feet), establishing a record for the Biggest BASE Jump from start to landing—a trifecta of triumph.
Not merely a one-off achievement, this flight epitomizes Salzmann’s lifelong quest—a journey where the skies aren’t just a realm of escape but a canvas for his dreams. Introducing elements of the birdlike elegance to his choreography with the heavens, he reflects, “It’s an exhilarating feat I’ve long chased since my boyhood fascination with extreme sports.”
He recalls with fondness, “I always admired Jackie Chan, envisioning myself as a stuntman.” Early on, he engaged in playful practice—leaping from heights and executing intricate stunts alongside friends, all while conditioning his body to embrace the challenges that would eventually entice him towards the skies.
It may sound whimsical today, but as a child, the vista of high-altitude sports was a mere fantasy, with no mentors or role models. Yet, undeterred, Salzmann meticulously elevated his jumps—testing his mettle from a humble 20 meters to 30 meters, augmenting the thrill with reckless antics such as giddy leaps from moving cars. At 20, he was bewitched by skydiving, soon morphing into a BASE jumper within a brief 18-month span, and he recalls the euphoric clarity he felt: “This is it.”
Now adorned with the mantle of a seasoned 37-year-old athlete, Salzmann’s life is a fervent pursuit of flight. “When I’m tethered to the ground,” he confesses, “it feels like a leash, restraining my true essence.” Each leap into the air ignites an exhilarating intimacy with freedom.
To the uninitiated, a wingsuit is a marvel of design—a specialized attire that enhances an athlete’s control during exhilarating freefalls, featuring wings strategically placed between arms and legs to craft an aerial surface, granting the user the ability to glide with unprecedented efficacy.
Before each jump, a meditative focus envelops him—clarity that shrouds doubt. “You’re in the moment,” he asserts, “and there’s no turning back.” His preparations resonate with meticulous foresight, visualizing every angle, every contour of the anticipated adventure long before he steps foot at the jump site.
The world of wingsuit flying is a high-stakes endeavor. One lapse in judgment can domino into catastrophe. There was a haunting incident when a younger jumper, eager to impress, tragically perished after Salzmann and his friends implored him to refrain from a hazardous jump. Such somber chapters weave into the fabric of his experience, heightening his sensitivity and honing an almost intuitive ‘gut feeling’—a crucial asset that he refers to as a guardian against recklessness.
Despite the inherent chaos, he declares that adrenaline no longer drives his motivations. Instead, a razor-sharp focus possesses him, allowing for an external vantage of his own flight—the physiological tension propelling him while fear becomes an ally alerting him to potential missteps. “Each jump is a testament to that focus, ensuring every meticulous detail, including parachute preparations, aligns flawlessly.”
The winged endeavor he embarked upon for the official wingsuit foil project was steeped in three years of innovation—an electric wingsuit conceived with wingspan perfection and structurally sophisticated design. The collaboration with designer Andreas Podlipnik and the engineering masterminds at Red Bull sought to defy previous boundaries, creating a tool that maximizes distance while offering seamless control. “It’s light as a feather yet oddly powerful—almost ghostlike in its silence,” Salzmann effuses.
This project unlocks an exhilarating vista of new flight territories—a gentle promise of a domain still ripe for exploration. “I yearn for a headline that shouts, ‘Red Bull and Peter Salzmann develop innovative gadgets that redefine flight!’” he anticipates.
Looking ahead, the pilot recognizes the enormity of his aspirations, envisioning future escapades in the Himalayas or high alpine fronts, each necessitating vigorous acclimatization and rigorous treks at heights exceeding 6,000 meters. “That ambition is my heartbeat,” he enthuses.
For Peter Salzmann, success transcends mere records—it is the realization of lofty visions grounded in safety and fulfilment, illustrated through each leap. In essence, it crystallizes into the very ethos he lives by with every daring plunge from the majesty of the mountains—an eloquent dance between risk and reward, artistry and invention within the boundless sky.
