by Matt Higgins
Verbier: Video of Jean-Albert’s famous flight along the snow slope can be seen athttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJTYzVd6LkU.
Skydiver of the Decade: Outside, August 2, 2010, http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/aerial-sports/Loic-Jean-Albert.html.
Perris: Gary described his first wingsuit flying experience and his vision of landing during phone interviews, March 2012 and January 2013.
Nelson’s Column: Descriptions of Gary Connery’s plunge and arrest were drawn from interviews with Gary Connery, January and May 2013; and the following sources: “Protestor Parachutes off Nelson’s Column,” BBC News, May 9, 2003; “Diving for Dalai Lama,” Tania Branigan, The Guardian, May 9, 2003.
CHAPTER 10: WHATEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS
Details of Weston’s life and his frame of mind before he arrived in Colorado were drawn from interviews with Jeb Corliss, January 2011, January 2012; and Karin Sako and Gary Cunningham in July 2012.
Go Fast Games: Descriptions from the Go Fast Games were drawn from interviews with Jeb Corliss, July 2011, January 2012; Karin Sako, July 2012; and Troy Widgery, May 2007. Additional details came from the TV documentary Fearless, the Jeb Corliss Story, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0821251/.
Weston legend: “Base Jumper Was Meticulous,” Sydney Morning Herald, October 7, 2003, http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/07/1065292560465.html?from=storyrhs.
magazine article . . . : “Aussie Skydiver Falls to Death,” Sydney Morning Herald, October 7, 2003, http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/10/06/1065292522786.html.
out from the bridge, “Oh, no!”: Weston’s final flight sequence and impact were drawn from HBO Real Sports, February 21, 2012.
Weston had struck the bridge: Details were drawn from Fearless; “Aussie Skydiver Falls to Death”; and “Stunt Attempt Proves Fatal for Skydiver,” Los Angeles Times, October 6, 2003, http://articles.latimes.com/2003/oct/06/nation/na-briefs6.1.
Malibu: Descriptions of the memorial at Jeb Corliss’s house were drawn from interviews with Corliss, July 2011; Karin Sako, July 2012; and Iiro Seppänen, September 2011; Nick DiGiovanni, August 2011.
Super Bowl: Apexbase.com, https://www.apexbase.com/film-tv-consulting.
“It’s okay to die”: HBO Real Sports, February 21, 2012.
Vibeke: “BASE Jumper ‘Couldn’t Open Chute,’” Sydney Morning Herald, July 21, 2005, http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/aussie-base-jumper-couldnt-open-chute/2005/07/21/1121539063068.html.
cave: The scenes from the cave in China come from interviews in July 2011 with Jeb Corliss and Chris McDougall; Confessions of an Idiot, McDougall, pp. 203–5; and Journey to the Center, a documentary about an expedition to Tiankeng, produced by Corliss and Iiro Seppänen.
Jin Mao Tower: Details concerning jumps from the building in Shanghai were drawn from Confessions of an Idiot, McDougall, p. 177; and interviews with Chris McDougall, September 2011; Gary Cunningham, July 2012; Jeb Corliss, July 2011; and Stephan Mueller, September 2011.
Slim: Details of the crash of Roland “Slim” Simpson at the Jin Mao Tower and his death were drawn from interviews with Gary Cunningham, July 2012; Chris McDougall, September 2011; and Jeb Corliss, July and September 2011; “A Leap Too Far: Leading Base Jumper Killed in Shanghai,” Hamish McDonald and Philip Cornford, Sydney Morning Herald, October 9, 2004, http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/10/08/1097089572149.html; and “BASE Jumper Dies in Hospital,” The Age, October 23, 2004, http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/10/23/1098474913262.html?from=storylhs.
Luigi Cani: Interviews with Luigi Cani and Jeb Corliss, February 2008; Joby Ogwyn, July 2011; and the official website of Luigi Cani, http://cani.tv/en/biography/.
“Go Fast!”: The test and result of Jeb Corliss’s and Luigi Cani’s flight was drawn from interviews with both men in February 2008; and the Go Fast! press release, http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/person?personId=139317216&targetid=profile.
“I’m afraid”: Cani’s comment came from a phone interview in February 2008.
Robert Pecnik: His comments about the possibilities for landing a wingsuit were drawn from BBS, Abrams, pp. 274–75.
“Natural flying”: Jean-Albert’s quote can be found in BBS, Abrams, p. 274.
CHAPTER 11: “HOLY CHUTE!”
TV host: Details of Jeb Corliss’s career as host of Stunt Junkies come from interviews with Jeb Corliss in July 2011 and Jordan Stone in August 2012.
Fearless: IMDB.com, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0821251/.
Stunt Junkies: TV Guide.com, http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/stunt-junkies-go-big-or-go-home/cast/278905.
Empire State Building: The descriptions of events surrounding the Empire State Building episode and its immediate aftermath were drawn from testimony and video and other evidence from a fall 2008 criminal trial and from multiple news accounts, including “Cops Stop Fall Guy. Foil Empire State Jumper,” Celeste Katz, Oren Yaniv, and Leo Standora, NYDN, April 28, 2006, http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/cops-stop-fall-guy-foil-empire-state-jumper-article-1.606079; “Jumping Jerk Had Hopes of Fulfilling His Diving Dream,” NYDN, April 29, 2006; and “Free Speech? Looks More Like Free Fall,” Dan Barry, NYT, November 4, 2006.
Discovery fired: “Discovery Dumps Corliss,” John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable, April 28, 2006, http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/programming/discovery-dumps-corliss/28262.
Mel Sachs: “Mel A. Sachs, 60, Trial Lawyer with a Flamboyant Streak, Dies,” Glenn Collins, NYT, September 1, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/01/obituaries/01sachs.html?_r=1&.
legs like matchsticks: Descriptions of Karina’s accident and aftermath are drawn from interviews with Karina in July 2012 and Jeb in October 2008; “Karina Hollekim: The Lady Who Can Fly,” Frances Booth, Daily Telegraph (UK), September 29, 2007, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3634233/Karina-Hollekim-The-lady-who-can-fly.html); and Thenorthface.com, http://uk.thenorthface.com/blog/eu/en/karina-hollekim.
Mark Jay Heller: “Mark Heller, Esq.,” Michael Wilson and Serge F. Kovaleski, NYT, May 21, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/nyregion/23lawyer.html?pagewanted=1.
State Supreme Court: “Empire State Building Stuntman Asks to Have Charge Dismissed,” Anemona Hartocollis, NYT, October 28, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/nyregion/28empire.html; “Free Speech? Looks More Like Free Fall,” Dan Barry, NYT, November 4, 2006, http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/04/nyregion/04about.html.
London Eye: Details of Gary’s launch from the London Eye were drawn from interviews with Gary in November 2013 and Vivienne Connery in September 2013; and “Security Lapse at London Eye as Staff Fail to Notice Parachute Jump,” Daily Mail, November 29, 2006, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-419518/Security-lapse-London-Eye-staff-fail-notice-parachute-jump.html.
CHAPTER 12: THE WINGSUIT LANDING PROJECT
Ambrecht: “Foiled Daredevil Fares Better in Court,” Anemona Hartocollis, NYT, January 18, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/nyregion/18jumper.html?_r=1&; Judge Ambrecht’s Decision, Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/nyregion/city_room/20080115_CORLISS.pdf.
Cristo Redentor: “The New Seven Wonders of the World,” Xinhua, July 8, 2007, http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/the-new-seven-wonders-of-the-world/article1-235487.aspx.
Corcovado: Details concerning Jeb’s and Luigi’s flights over Corcovado are drawn from interviews with both men; video can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzsNd5-0w2Y; and “Jump. Fly. Land,” Carl Hoffman, Air & Space, November 2010, http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/Jump-Fly-Land.html?c=y&page=2.
Loïc: Comments are drawn from a phone interview with Loïc Jean-Albert, October 2007 and February 2008.
Maria von Egidy: Comments and background on Maria von Egidy are drawn from a live interview in January 2012 and phone interviews with Maria in November 2007; and “Will ‘Flying Squirrel’ Suit Let Skydivers Jump Without Chutes?,” Sean Markey, National Geographic News, February 9, 2007, http://
news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070209-wingsuit.html.
Jean Potvin: Comments and background on Jean Potvin come from a telephone interview in October 2007, and Dr. Jean Potvin’s home page, http://www.slu.edu/colleges/AS/physics/profs/potvin.html.
ailerons: “Oldies and Oddities: Where Do Ailerons Come From?,” Tom Crouch, Smithsonian Air & Space, September 2009, http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/Oldies-and-Oddities-Where-Do-Ailerons-Come-From.html; Glenn Research Center, NASA.gov, http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/alr.html.
The key to a flare: Parachuting: The Skydiver’s Handbook, Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff, p. 66; “Kiss the Runway,” Bob Schmelzer, Flight Training, June 2011, http://flighttraining.aopa.org/magazine/2011/June/Cover_landings.html; “The Last Six Inches: How to Make Perfect Landings,” Mike Fizer, Flight Training, February 2012, http://flighttraining.aopa.org/magazine/2012/February/feature-perfect-landings.html; “Jump. Fly. Land.,” Carl Hoffman, Air & Space magazine, November 2010, http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/Jump-Fly-Land.html.
Nordic ski jumpers: Eastern Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Foundation, Inc., http://flighttraining.aopa.org/magazine/2012/February/feature-perfect-landings.html.
Roy Haggard: The personal information for Roy Haggard was drawn from interviews with Haggard in October 2007 and the website for Vertigo, Inc.; “Flying Humans, Hoping to Land with No Chute,” Matt Higgins, NYT, December 10, 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/sports/othersports/10flying.html?_r=0; “Roy Haggard Named to Rogallo Hall of Fame,” Tom Norton, General Aviation News, May 20, 2009, http://generalaviationnews.com/2009/05/20/roy-haggard-named-to-rogallo-hall-of-fame/; “Wing Nuts,” Chicago Tribune, January 5, 2008, http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-01-05/news/0801040669_1_fly-landing-blue-sky.
Vertigo: Information on Vertigo was drawn from interviews with Roy Haggard in October 2007; linkedin.com, http://www.linkedin.com/pub/roy-haggard/9/57a/437; the Vertigo website (no longer online); and score.org, http://www.score.org/success -stories/vertigo-inc.
Loïc was out: Descriptions of Loïc’s accident and decision to cease flying wingsuits were drawn from a telephone interview in February 2008 and “A Life in Flight,” Bryan Schatz, Adventure Sports Journal, April 2, 2012, http://adventuresportsjournal.com/miscellaneous/a-life-in-flight.
CHAPTER 13: THE TRIAL
New York Times: “Flying Humans, Hoping to Land with No Chute,” Matt Higgins, NYT, December 10, 2007.
Today: Video from Jeb’s appearance on Today can be viewed at today.com, http://www.today.com/id/22705333/ns/today-today_news/t/daredevil-sues-nyc-landmark-thwarting-jump/#.UrIStNJDvAx.
Stephen Colbert: Jeb’s appearance on The Colbert Report can be viewed at colbertnation.com, http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/147277/january-23-2008/jeb-corliss.
countersuit: “Would-Be Jumper Sues Empire State Building,” Anemona Hartocollis, NYT, January 15, 2008, http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/would-be-jumper-sues-empire-state-building/?_r=1.
police evidence: “Lost Evidence Affects Empire State Jumper Case,” Tony Lingefors, The Epoch Times, June 20, 2008.
state supreme court appellate: “Charges Reinstated Against Empire State Building Stunt Jumper,” AP, March 4, 2008, http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/charges-reinstated-empire-state-building-stunt-jumper-article-1.284875.
New York Times tower: “Man Scales New York Times Building,” Sewell Chan, NYT, June 5, 2008, http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/man-scales-new-york-times-building/; “Second Climber at Times Building in Custody,” Sewell Chan, NYT, June 5, 2008, http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/yes-another-man-is-climbing-times-building/; “Third Man Climbs Times Building and Is Arrested,” Sewell Chan, NYT, July 9, 2008, http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/third-man-climbs-times-building/.
Bloomberg: “Bill to Halt High-Rise Stunt Nuts,” Frank Lombardi, NYDN, September 4, 2008; and the City of New York press release, “Mayor Bloomberg Signs Legislation Prohibiting BASE Jumping from City Buildings,” September 22, 2008.
Hearing, trial, and sentencing (hearing of criminal court): Much of the material was drawn from the author’s observations, notes, and recordings; trial transcripts; and “Trial Opens for Empire State Building Parachutist,” Samuel Maull, AP, November 15, 2008; “Prof Testifies in Empire State Stunt Case,” UPI, November 18, 2008; “Empire State Stuntman Tells Jury He Feared Guards,” AP, December 1, 2008; “Empire State Stuntman Convicted, Could Get Jail,” Samuel Maull, AP, December 3, 2008; “Stunt Empire State Building Jumper Lands on Conviction,” Barbara Ross, NYDN, December 3, 2008; “Empire State Stuntman Gets 3 Years of Probation,” Samuel Maull, AP, January 23, 2009; “Chute-for-Brains Jumper Ducks Jail,” Laura Italiano, New York Post, January 23, 2009.
CHAPTER 14: PAINT IT BLACK
Roberta Mancino: “Raising Her Profile by Showing Some Skin,” James Vlahos, NYT, March 30, 2011, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/fashion/31mancino.html?pagewanted=all.
“The Human Bird”: Daredevils: The Human Bird, Firecracker Films, aired Channel 4 (UK), September 14, 2009.
Kuala Lumpur: Details of Jeb’s and Roberta’s experience in Kuala Lumpur are drawn from interviews with both in September 2011; and “Falling Man,” Bill Gifford, Men’s Journal, June 11, 2010, http://archive.mensjournal.com/jeb-corliss.
Golden Knights: “Golden Knight, Soldier to Attempt Wing-Suit Record at YPG,” James Gilbert, Yuma Sun, February 12, 2009.
Hervé le Gallou: “Base Jumpers: The Men Who Fall to Earth,” Ed Caesar, Sunday Times (UK), March 8, 2009.
Dean Potter: “The Aerialist,” Matt Samet, Outside, July 2011, http://www.outside online.com/outdoor-adventure/athletes/dean-potter/The-Aerialist.html.
“It’s not crazy”: Film Fest St. Anton, Austria, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahNkbrotac.
Matti Hautamäki: Skijumpinginfo.com, http://www.skijumping-info.com/news/359-matti-hautam%C3%A4ki-finishes-long-and-successfull-career.html.
Bruce Beresford-Redman: “Estate of Reality TV Producer Bruce Beresford-Redman’s Slain Wife Settled,” Anthony McCartney, AP, December 11, 2013, http://metronews.ca/scene/881523/estate-of-slain-reality-tv-producers-wife-settled/. Results of Beresford-Redman’s case were not available as of press time.
Hunter Defense Technologies: “Hunter Defense Technologies Acquires Vertigo, Inc.,” Reuters, April 1, 2009, http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/04/01/idUS202657+01-Apr-2009+PRN20090401; “HDT’s Vertigo Recognized by NASA PRNewswire,” October 23, 2009, http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1774443/hdts_vertigo_recognized_by_nasa/.
Tedx: Video of Jeb’s speech at Tedx, USC, April 2010, can be viewed at http://stevens.usc.edu/Jeb_Corliss__Harnessing_Fear.flv.
CHAPTER 15: A FLYING PHILISTINE
TonySuits, Inc: Much of the material for this chapter was drawn from visits to TonySuits’ manufacturing facility and interviews with Tony Uragallo in March 2012 and Jeff Nebelkopf in September 2011 and January 2012; and Tonywingsuits.com, http://www.tonywingsuits.com/. Several wingsuit pilots also described the effect on their sport from developments in Tony’s workshop.
Mark Sutton: Mark Sutton described his background in a telephone interview in June 2013.
Bernoulli’s principle: NASA has published a pamphlet on Bernoulli’s principle for students that offers a straightforward comprehensive explanation, http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/pdf/bernoulli_principle_5_8.pdf.
CHAPTER 16: BOXES AND BOXES
“He’s quite a striking character”: In separate interviews, Gary, in January 2013, and Mark, in June 2013, described their meeting in Italy, subsequent travels, and growing partnership in pursuit of a wingsuit landing.
Extremsportveko: Extremsportveko.com, http://www.ekstremsportveko.com/.
“Grinding the Crack”: The video can be viewed on Jeb Corliss’s YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWfph3iNC-k.
CHAPTER 17: DRAGONS AT HEAVEN’S GATE
Details and descriptions for this chapte
r are drawn from my observations and multiple interviews with all of the wingsuit pilots present in China during September 2011 and from various media reports, including “Mind the Gap! Wingsuit Stuntman Shoots Through Narrow Slit in Mountainside at 75 MPH,” Gareth Finighan, Daily Mail, September 24, 2011, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2041434/Wingsuit-stuntman-Jeb-Corliss-shoots-narrow-slit-Tianmen-mountain-75mph.html.
CHAPTER 18: A MEETING OF THE MINDS
The bulk of this chapter derives from live interviews with Matt Gerdes and Barry Holubeck in September 2011, and Tony Uragallo in March 2012, and phone interviews with Gary and Vivienne Connery, Mark Sutton, and Nick English from January through September 2013.
CHAPTER 19: TOUCH-AND-GO
Cape Town: The contents of this chapter were drawn from observations and interviews with the pilots and others present in South Africa during January 2012. Another helpful resource was the episode of HBO’s Real Sports, which aired on February 21, 2012, and featured Jeb’s crash into Table Mountain.
Table Mountain: South African National Parks, http://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/tourism/attractions.php#tablemountain.
CHAPTER 20: “THE REBEL”
Zephyrhills: Descriptions of Gary’s training and Tony’s attempt to develop a wingsuit for a landing attempt came from interviews with Gary, in January 2013, and Tony, March 2012, and Mark Sutton, June 2013.
XRW: “Project XRW,” Taya Weiss, Parachutist, April 2012.
Conan: Jeb’s appearance on Conan can be viewed at teamcoco.com, http://teamcoco.com/video/jeb-corliss-never-give-up.
CHAPTER 21: THE RIGHT NUMBERS
Switzerland: Mark and Gary described their flights in Lauterbrunnen and Walenstadt in January and June 2013, respectively, and I was present at Tony’s shop in March 2012 when Gary sent e-mails containing his flight metrics and Tony read them aloud and discussed them with others in the shop.