Wingsuit videos have gone mainstream in the past year, with bad ass wingsuiters attempting to one up each other with ridiculous stunts. Just yesterday, a wingsuit buzzed Rio’s famous Jesus statue.
But all wingsuit activities will pale in comparison to the move about to pulled by Joby Ogwyn. Why? Because he’s going to climb Mount Everest, then jump off the top and soar down to base camp, all on live TV. What could go wrong? Well…
Ogwyn, who is from the famously low altitude US state of Louisiana, could be blown back into the side of the mountain, or he could be swept into China. “I’m prepared for landing in China,” he said. “I will definitely have some cash and my passport in my wingsuit.”
The whole thing sounds F-ing nuts.
Viewers will see Ogwyn say a quick prayer, take a few sucks from an oxygen mask, and throw himself into the void.
But viewers won’t even see the most gargantuan effort of the stunt, which is climbing Mount Everest.
A 40-strong back-up team will accompany Ogwyn to base camp at 17,800ft, and four high altitude cameramen will join him on the three day trek to the summit. at 29,035 ft.
Once there the daredevil will, very quickly because of the intense cold, change out of his heavy climbing gear and put on the wingsuit.
Then, there’s going down part
Travelling at up to 150mph on the descent he will use his body to steer the wingsuit and propel himself away from jagged cliff faces as he falls for 10 minutes before reaching base camp.
There he will slow himself down dramatically by arching his body in a motion called “the cobra.”
He will not be wearing a traditional parachute and the landing will involve a so-far secret new piece of equipment designed specifically for such a high altitude jump.
And how has he been training for this? By wingsuiting around the freakin’ Matterhorn. No date has been set for the event (it depends on when they make the actual ascent), but it will take place in May.
As for what could go wrong, Ogwyn had this to say.
I’m not afraid to die.