Daredevil trains for the world’s biggest ever wingsuit jump of 26,000ft - off Everest
- 6 months ago
A British daredevil is in training for the world’s biggest ever wingsuit jump of 26,000ft - after finding the location on Everest.
Tim Howell, 34, has spent more than a decade climbing up mountains to fly back down - but is now preparing for the biggest challenge yet.
The adventurer wants to smash the world record for the highest ever leap - at 8,000 metres (26,000ft).
Tim said it will be the first time anyone has jumped from such a height - and if he succeeds, he could break multiple records including distance, highest and difference in altitude.
Tim, who lives between Martock, Somerset, and Geneva Switzerland, said he has now found the perfect place to carry out the feat - the Everest massif.
He said the time was now right to make the jump due to his extensive experience and training.
He added: “I’ve been BASE jumping for over 10 years now and mountaineering for 15 plus, it's always been a passion of mine to combine the two activities especially in remote parts of the world.
“To be honest, although it has always been a dream to set my sights on a goal like this, It's only recently been on the radar as something that I can accomplish.
“That is because I feel like I now have the necessary experience and skillset to pull it off."
The current record is held by Valery Rozov - a Russian wingsuit jumper from Cho Oyu, on the Chinese/Nepalese border at 7,700 metres.
Tim has travelled around the world in recent expeditions to Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, the Andes, which he admits has given him a lot of experience and knowledge.
He added: "Each project and expedition is a stepping stone in gaining enough experience for the next.
“Right now I'm ready for the next jump to be the biggest one yet."
Such a mission requires substantial preparation, from a specialised suit to the perfect conditions for the jump and Tim says he pays “a lot of attention to the smaller details”.
He added: “I scrutinize the gear that I use and make sure it's the perfect tool for the job.
“In this case I'll be working alongside a wingsuit manufacturer to make an Ultralight wingsuit that will inflate and pressurize at higher altitudes where the air is less dense.
“I also need to consider heat regulation when flying speeds of up to 250kmph at -15 degrees celsius, that's why I'm working with brands to make sure the clothes, gloves, boots etc, will give me enough dexterity to fly the suit but keep me warm enough at those temperatures.”
Tim said finding the correct wingsuit exit for his jump was also a complex challenge.
He has to calculate the height of the exit to the impact of his landing using a laser with ‘inbuilt trigonometry’ - and satellite imagery.
He added: “After that I can use mapping models and gps data from my previous flights, to calculate my glide ratio and see how far I can fly before opening my parachute.
“Using high definition satellite imagery I can spot potential landing sites, keeping in mind I need at least 100m to set up my landing."
Tim Howell, 34, has spent more than a decade climbing up mountains to fly back down - but is now preparing for the biggest challenge yet.
The adventurer wants to smash the world record for the highest ever leap - at 8,000 metres (26,000ft).
Tim said it will be the first time anyone has jumped from such a height - and if he succeeds, he could break multiple records including distance, highest and difference in altitude.
Tim, who lives between Martock, Somerset, and Geneva Switzerland, said he has now found the perfect place to carry out the feat - the Everest massif.
He said the time was now right to make the jump due to his extensive experience and training.
He added: “I’ve been BASE jumping for over 10 years now and mountaineering for 15 plus, it's always been a passion of mine to combine the two activities especially in remote parts of the world.
“To be honest, although it has always been a dream to set my sights on a goal like this, It's only recently been on the radar as something that I can accomplish.
“That is because I feel like I now have the necessary experience and skillset to pull it off."
The current record is held by Valery Rozov - a Russian wingsuit jumper from Cho Oyu, on the Chinese/Nepalese border at 7,700 metres.
Tim has travelled around the world in recent expeditions to Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, the Andes, which he admits has given him a lot of experience and knowledge.
He added: "Each project and expedition is a stepping stone in gaining enough experience for the next.
“Right now I'm ready for the next jump to be the biggest one yet."
Such a mission requires substantial preparation, from a specialised suit to the perfect conditions for the jump and Tim says he pays “a lot of attention to the smaller details”.
He added: “I scrutinize the gear that I use and make sure it's the perfect tool for the job.
“In this case I'll be working alongside a wingsuit manufacturer to make an Ultralight wingsuit that will inflate and pressurize at higher altitudes where the air is less dense.
“I also need to consider heat regulation when flying speeds of up to 250kmph at -15 degrees celsius, that's why I'm working with brands to make sure the clothes, gloves, boots etc, will give me enough dexterity to fly the suit but keep me warm enough at those temperatures.”
Tim said finding the correct wingsuit exit for his jump was also a complex challenge.
He has to calculate the height of the exit to the impact of his landing using a laser with ‘inbuilt trigonometry’ - and satellite imagery.
He added: “After that I can use mapping models and gps data from my previous flights, to calculate my glide ratio and see how far I can fly before opening my parachute.
“Using high definition satellite imagery I can spot potential landing sites, keeping in mind I need at least 100m to set up my landing."