Kitesurfer Lasse Walker achieved a world first: jumping above a plane in flight.
In a perfect display of timing, execution, skill and confidence, Walker rose 15 meters above the water and the plane piloted by Luke Czepiela.
Dutchman Walker and Polish aerobatic pilot Czepiela prepared for over two years to create this piece of aerial history at Dolphin Beach, Cape Town, South Africa.
Walker said: “We communicated with each other and found the right time. Luke was flying low, I jumped over, looped my kite around and looked straight down into the cockpit. It all came together.”
The flight took place not far from the coast, and Czepiela was able to maintain a low speed by aiming directly into the headwind. For the project to succeed, he also had to fly at low altitude.
Czepiela said: “You are flying a plane. You try not to make him stall. The plane is not very maneuverable. And then I look forward, and there’s a guy on the water with a kite above him. He shoots and flies over the plane. It was really surreal.”
Being able to fly through the air like an airplane is a dream common to many human beings, but Walker and Czepiela’s ambitions went far beyond that.
