Best Skydivers in the World: 5 Incredible Skydiving Records

With all of the many spectacular disciplines within the skydiving realm with their own individually-set records, it’s hard to narrow our list down to just five skydiving world records. Canopy Piloting, Canopy Relative Work (CRW), Big Way Formation Skydiving, Speed Skydiving, Accuracy Skydiving, Vertical Formation Skydiving, Wingsuit Skydiving – the list goes on and on! 

There are 42,491 United States Parachute Association (USPA) member skydivers (and counting)! Setting a skydiving record is a sought-after achievement amongst skydivers wanting to make a name for themselves and accomplish something unforgettable. While we believe all skydivers are absolutely amazing, some stand out from the crowd with their remarkable achievements. Here’s our list of some of the best skydivers in the world and the incredible skydive records:

1. Highest Freefall Parachute Jump

Record: 135,899 feet

Skydiver: Alan Eustace

When: October 24, 2014

Location: Roswell, New Mexico

On Fall 2014, Alan Eustace put on a specially-designed space suit, attached himself to a giant helium-filled balloon and ascended into the skies of New Mexico! The now 66-year old, retired Google executive still holds the skydiving world record for the highest jump at a breathtaking 135,899 feet, hitting speeds of 822 mph and breaking the sound barrier! 

Not only did Eustace achieve the world record for the highest jump, he and his team also invented several new technologies specifically built for stratospheric exploration. Without a typical capsule to provide life support, Eustace and his team built an entire life support system into the suit, called StratEx. This spacesuit is now on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum located in Chantilly, Virginia.

2. Most Skydives in 24 Hours

Record: 640 skydives

Skydiver: Jay Stokes

When: September 9, 2006

Location: Greensburg, Indiana

Depending on experience, weather, and busy-ness at the dropzone, a typical day of jumping for a skydiver is about 6 to 10 jumps in a day. What is the most skydives in 24 hours? Currently, the skydiving world record for most parachute jumps in 24 hours is at an impressive (and a bit nauseating) 640 skydives! 

Jay Stokes, a former Army Green Beret, decided to celebrate his 50th birthday by jumping out of an airplane 640 times! That’s a skydive almost every two minutes!! How did he do it? Well, there were dozens of volunteers helping to pack his 23 parachutes and four pilots flying three airplanes at the Greensburg Municipal Airport. The jumps were performed at around 2,100 feet in altitude; he would spiral his parachute down to land quicker; and he undid the straps on one parachute to put another one on while running to an already-ready airplane! Makes us tired just thinking about it! A truly amazing feat, indeed. Go Jay Stokes!

3. First Human to Break the Sound Barrier in Freefall

Record: First Human to Break the Sound Barrier

Skydiver: Felix Baumgartner

When: October 14, 2012

Location: Roswell, New Mexico

Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner completed a parachute jump from a height of 127,852 feet – known as the Red Bull Stratos project’s Supersonic Freefall. The speed of sound is 1,236 km/h (768 mph). During Baumgartner’s stratospheric skydive, he reached a top speed of 1,357.6 km/h (843.6 mph). At those speeds, did Felix Baumgartner pass out? Baumgartner said, “It was really brutal at times. I thought for a few seconds that I’d lose consciousness. I didn’t feel a sonic boom because I was so busy just trying to stabilize myself.”

4. Fastest Speed in Freefall

Record: 1,357.64 km/h (843.6 mph)

Skydiver: Felix Baumgartner

When: October 14, 2012

Location: Roswell, New Mexico

Skydive speed records at the competition level from typical jump heights usually rests around 400 to 500 km/h (248.55 to 310.68 mph) with the fastest speed in speed skydiving at 529.77 km/h (329.18 mph), achieved by Marco Hepp of Germany. But overall, what is the world record for fastest skydiving EVER!? Our friend, Felix Baumgartner holds the title for that! When Felix Baumgartner broke the sound barrier, he was traveling at 1,357.6 km/h (843.6 mph). Only another stratospheric skydive can break that record!

5. Largest Skydiving Formation

Record: 400 Skydivers

Skydiver: World Team 2006 (Organizers: BJ & Bobbie Worth)

When: February 8, 2006

Location: Udon Thani, Thailand

The World Team 2006 400-way is currently the largest freefall formation in the world. The event was organized as a part of the Royal Sky Celebration honoring the 60th anniversary of the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. The record-setting skydive was performed at 26,500 feet AGL with a completed formation (all skydivers linked) held for 4.25 seconds, and a staged breakoff beginning at just under 7,000 feet. 

This amazing feat required 500 World Team Members from 30 nations, including skydivers, Alpha Team, over 100 Royal Thai Air Force Flight, videographers and documentation team members, ground staff and crew, support staff, and lots of supplemental oxygen to prevent hypoxia from the high altitude!

Ready to put a skydive adventure in your own record book! Book your skydive and jump into paradise with Skydive Key West. Blue skies.