Record breaking Burj base jump

BBC News ^ | Friday, 8 January 2010 | BBC

[Squidpup]

Two men have broken the record for the world's highest base jump after parachuting from the top of Dubai's 828m (2,716ft) Burj Khalifa tower.

Nasr Al Niyadi and Omar Al Hegelan, from the Emirates Aviation Society, were given permission to jump, and broke the base jump record on Tuesday, a day after the official opening of the building, taking just one and a half minutes to reach the ground at speeds of 136 mph (220 km/hr).

[Squidpup]

Insane video at the link

[Nachum]

Very cool. I love the videos of the guys jumping off of the cliffs on Youtube.

[P-Marlowe]

I would think that the “record” for base jumping would be the shortest distance from the summit to the ground rather than the highest distance. Anyone can jump off a 2700 foot tower, open a parachute and glide to safety. Show me someone who can do it from 75 feet and I’ll be impressed.

[Red Badger]

...taking just one and a half minutes to reach the ground at speeds of 136 mph (220 km/hr)

Funerals will be held tomorrow?..............

[DoughtyOne]

Killjoy! ;-)

[Nachum]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq_fkHESF0c&feature=related

[Former MSM Viewer]

Good point....75’...that would be a neat trick.

[sinanju]

That parachute took it’s sweet time opening.

Don’t most base jumpers jump with the drogue canopy already out and in their hand?

[sinanju]

The thrilling part about base jumping is that if even the slightest thing goes wrong the jumper is a pancake.

[sinanju]

Keep watching, if what I’ve read about that place is true look to see people jumping off without parachutes.

[P-Marlowe]

The thrilling part about base jumping is that if even the slightest thing goes wrong the jumper is a pancake.

The same could be said for working around steam rollers.

[UCANSEE2]

Here's the view from the top, for those that can't watch the video.

[TheZMan]

That’s amazing.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I would think that the “record” for base jumping would be the shortest distance from the summit to the ground...Show me someone who can do it from 75 feet and I’ll be impressed."

I'll do it from 4' and I won't even use a parachute...

[Tijeras_Slim]

I’ve jumped out of planes lower than that, pretty amazing building.

[NaughtiusMaximus]

Goofier than a waltzing mouse!

I confess, I am terrified of heights. Standing on a footstool to decorate my Christmas tree is my limit.

[Menehune56]

Love the BBC newsreader’s girly giggly delivery.

[P-Marlowe]

I'll do it from 4' and I won't even use a parachute...

That's pretty high. You could break and ankle.

[TalBlack]

At 2700 ft I’d jump off of this building. Don’t understand the big deal. Now if they want to go for a record with respect to this building they should start a competition for the FASTEST TIME TO GROUND!

[Nevadan]

re: “Show me someone who can do it from 75 feet and I’ll be impressed.”

I was talking with a 101st Airborne Vet of D-Day a few months ago. He said they trained them to do parachute jumps from planes at 200 ft. That’s not 75, but almost as bad.