He was airborne for seven minutes before deploying his parachute and landing safely in Aosta, Italy.
Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao reported on the 12th that Swiss athlete Remo Leng recently took on the challenge and successfully flew over the Alps in freefall, becoming the first person in the world to do so.
The 36-year-old Remo Leng arrived at the Verbier ski resort in the Swiss Alps. Wearing a wingsuit, he jumped from an altitude of 7,500 meters and then glided through the air. At that time, Remo Leng was traveling at speeds of up to 500 kilometers per hour. He glided for four minutes before crossing the Grand Combin mountain, which stands at an elevation of 4,314 meters in southwestern Switzerland.
Local media reported that Remo Leng was airborne for seven minutes and covered a distance of 26 kilometers. He then deployed his parachute and landed safely in Aosta, Italy.
Remo Leng later said that his biggest challenge was judging whether his flight altitude would allow him to clear the Grand Combin. He said, “I don’t take risks. If the altitude isn’t enough, I’ll abort the flight.”
It is understood that wingsuits were developed in the late 1990s. They feature additional fabric between the arms and torso as well as between the legs, increasing surface area so that people can use air currents to support their bodies and glide through the air. Many people wear wingsuits during base jumps or skydiving activities to extend their time gliding in the air.