Bear Grylls Sets Another Record

Bear Grylls has done it again!

Grylls, 34, who set his first Guinness World Record in 1974, as the youngest Brit to summit Ama Dablam, and followed it up the following year, as the youngest Brit to return alive, from a climb to the summit of Mount Everest, now holds the record for longest continuous indoor freefall, by staying aloft for an incredible 97 minutes. This event was held at Airkix Wind Tunnel in Milton Keynes, UK.

Bear Grylls was joined for this event, by Al Hodgson and Freddy MacDonald.

Al Hodgson, who lost both his legs in an Irish terrorist attack, cofounded Amputees in Action, an agency which supplies amputee extras to films. Hodgson and his wife, will be representing UK next week at World Parachuting Championships in Maubeuge, France.

Freddy MacDonald is an instructor for Airkix, which operates this indoor wind tunnel.

About Indoor Skydiving

America’s ridiculous military budget funded construction of the first indoor wind tunnel in 1964. The first public facility was opened in Orlando, Florida in 1998. The Airkix tunnel was built by SkyVenture, which has sold more vertical wind tunnels than any other company in the world. Its features include a net, which instructors can stand on, next to clients who are suspended in the air. The Airkix tunnel, is the first one built which recirculates the air.

What Was It Like?

Bear Grylls said:

“By 1hr 30 I was beginning to hallucinate. Several times I started to loose control and Freddie had to help me regain control. By 1hr 35 we were all at our limit and I was fighting to hold it together for a precious couple of minutes longer. At 1hr37 on the dot we all crashed together in a pile. We had broken the record by a matter of a few seconds! It had been touch and go but we had done it.”

“I could hardly walk for an hour afterwards, I am still stiff 3 days later and my nose is still pouring with snot from the wind damage to my sinuses! But together we did it – just. ”

Congratulations

Congratulations to Bear, Al, and Freddy!

This event raised money for Global Angels Foundation, which describes itself as, “an innovative international children’s charity championing the needs of children around the world.”

Bear, Al, and Freddy deserve extra props for selecting a charity that “promises that every dollar that we receive directly from public donations will go directly to projects working with children at grassroots level.”