"Wingsuit flyer" fatal accident follow-up report
On October 8, Hungarian "wingsuit flyer" Viktor Kovats tragically died during a test flight, casting a shadow over the 2nd Wingsuit Flying World Championship held at Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, Hunan. The organizing committee announced yesterday that the competition will continue, but the schedule and flight routes will be readjusted. The originally scheduled qualifying round for today has been canceled, and contestants will compete in the elimination round on the 12th. The latest update last night indicates the elimination round may also be canceled, with the final held directly on the 13th. The reason for canceling the qualifying round or even the elimination round is to give contestants more time from the 10th to familiarize themselves with Tianmen Mountain’s terrain through test flights.
Although these decisions were made after an emergency consultation between the World Wingsuit League (WWL) and the organizing committee, and with the agreement of all 15 remaining contestants, an incident still occurred during yesterday’s test flight: the deceased Viktor Kovats’ friend, Austrian contestant Peter Wiltbauer, emotionally distressed, lost control before the flight and ultimately withdrew. An organizing committee official told reporters yesterday, "Peter may withdraw from the competition altogether."
Emotional breakdown
Austrian contestant withdraws from test flight
Kovats’ tragedy had a significant psychological impact on the contestants. His friend, Austrian contestant Peter Wiltbauer, openly wept at the scene, while others were visibly hesitant.
However, after two days of rest, most contestants had recovered. Before the morning test flight, they gathered in the lounge with relaxed expressions. But Peter, who had actively participated in the search for Kovats, was clearly deeply affected. While other team members were busy preparing their gear, he sat alone on the steps drinking quietly, his expression heavy. When it was time to reach the takeoff point for the test flight, he suddenly lost control, refused to put on his flight suit, argued loudly with staff, then slumped under a tree, staring blankly at the spot where Kovats fell.
In the end, Peter did not participate in yesterday’s test flight. According to organizing committee staff, he may withdraw from the competition entirely, "and given his current state, we can’t let him compete anymore."
Route adjustment
Avoiding Kovats’ original path
Due to the "Kovats accident," the organizing committee adjusted the flight route. Contestants now only need to complete one turn in the air to reach the finish line, whereas previously three turns were required. "Besides reducing difficulty and increasing safety, this is also a sign of respect for the deceased. In our wingsuit flying community, there’s an unwritten rule: if an athlete dies during a flight, no one will fly that same route for six months," World Wingsuit League President Ivo Sieberlen told reporters.
Schedule changes
Elimination round may also be canceled
According to the original plan, the Wingsuit Flying World Championship would follow a format of qualifying round, elimination round, and final. After consultations the previous evening, the organizing committee made the following adjustments to the schedule: the qualifying round is canceled, and two consecutive days of test flights will be held today and tomorrow.
According to Xie Bo, marketing director of Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area, who revealed to reporters yesterday, the organizing committee now plans to cancel even the 12th’s elimination round, holding the final directly on the 13th. "The goal is to help contestants quickly familiarize themselves with Tianmen Mountain’s terrain and avoid a repeat tragedy." It’s understood that in wingsuit flying competitions, later contestant order is advantageous, and the qualifying round determines the order. With the adjusted format, the order will now be decided by draw.
Reporter’s note
Chase your dreams
Or else you’ll die
At 15:00 on October 8, the sunlight was somewhat harsh. Hungarian "wingsuit flyer" Viktor Kovats put on his flight suit, spread his arms, and leapt from the 1,500-meter-high Cloud Top of Zhangjiajie’s Tianmen Mountain. He soared freely and joyfully among the mountain peaks like a bird. But just four seconds later, Kovats suddenly plummeted, unable even to open his parachute, and tragically fell to his death. "Chase your dreams, or else you’ll die." This was Kovats’ life motto, but what’s lesser known is that he also had a tattoo on his arm that read, "I belong to no one, I only belong to the sky." And now, he has returned to the embrace of the sky.
Since humans began walking upright, the desire to fly and challenge the skies has never ceased. In the late 14th century, Wan Hu, a Ming Dynasty scholar-official, strapped 47 self-made rockets to a chair, sat on it, and held a large kite with both hands. He envisioned using the rockets’ thrust to soar into the sky, then landing smoothly with the kite. Unfortunately, the rockets exploded, and Wan Hu lost his life. Kovats is just another Wan Hu.
One consequence of challenging the skies is an extremely high fatality rate. In September, a wingsuit flyer from California died during a flight in the Alps. According to French media, this was the sixth wingsuit-related death in the area in six months. On August 14, Mark Sutton, the stunt double who played "007" James Bond during the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony parachute jump, died in a wingsuit flying accident. But in the face of humanity’s dream to conquer the skies, life and death seem to be an easy choice. American wingsuit master Jeb Corliss said, "To live is to die—anything can cause death. But those are things that are meant to happen. If you love it, go do it. The only way to have no danger is to do nothing. But what kind of life is that?"