Quadriplegic Man Sets High Altitude Skydive Record, Jumping Twice from the Edge of the Stratosphere

WHITEVILLE, TN / ACCESSWIRE / September 30, 2016 / On September 27th, 28-year-old Australian Dane Kinder became the first quadriplegic to complete two high-altitude “oxygen jumps” in less than 24 hours. He made his world-record-setting skydives just outside of Memphis, TN, exiting from a modified Super King Air flying at roughly 30,000 feet and freefalling toward earth at speeds in excess of 220 mph. At that altitude, which is typically flown only by commercial airliners, supplemental oxygen is essential. For both jumps, the external air temperature at exit was approximately 40 below zero. Accompanying Kinder in the air was tandem master Mark Gerlach.

“Ever since I was a little kid I dreamed of feeling the freedom of falling from the sky,” shared Kinder. “This was a dream come true for me and now I hold a record! My hope is that I can inspire others to push further and surpass the record we’ve set. Freefalling for over two minutes twice in the same day is the most incredible adventure of my life thus far! Being a quadriplegic has its limitations, but I choose to not let circumstances dictate what I do on and off this earth. I’m excited for my next experience!”

Just one week before he was to enter the Australian Army, Kinder was so gravely injured in a car accident that he was pronounced dead at the scene. Against medical odds, he battled back. During his recovery, Kinder realized he could do things believed to be impossible. He claims this is what set him on a journey to push limits and not let his physical limitations hold him back.

To make his skydiving dream a reality, Kinder enlisted the help of Sarasota, Florida-based Incredible Adventures, a company with more than 20 years of experience organizing extreme experiences. The international adventure company has offered the kind of high-altitude military-style skydives that Kinder experienced for more than a decade, but is best known for arranging high-altitude MiG fighter jet flights in Russia.

“We could not be more pleased to have a role in making Dane’s childhood dream of high-altitude skydiving a reality,” said Incredible Adventures CEO Gregory Claxton. “This was one of the most inspiring adventures we’ve organized. The atmosphere was electric when he finally made it back to earth and set the world record on his second jump! We can’t thank Kevin and his jump staff enough, for all they did to make Dane’s record-setting skydives possible.”

Kevin Holbrook, the veteran Special Forces Officer who served as Kinder’s jump coordinator said, “Jumping from this altitude is no walk in the park and requires special equipment, precise training and years of experience to pull off. The record attempt was set to occur earlier, but the weather made it impossible. Waiting one extra day made all the difference and we are proud to have worked with Dane.” Holbrook and his jump staff have been part of the Incredible Adventures team since 2003 and hold at least 28 skydiving records.

Special parachute rigging was made onsite to help prevent Kinder’s legs from being broken upon landing. The jump team believes the custom equipment they named “the Dane Rig” can be repurposed to help others with loss-of-limb-use experience the sensation of a high-altitude skydive.

The current advertised price of a high-altitude military-style “HALO Jump” is $3695 and includes all necessary jump training, use of equipment, flight time and raw video. Jumps are tandem, so no prior skydiving experience is necessary, but some health and weight restrictions apply. For more information, prospective jumpers can contact Incredible Adventures at 800-644-7382 or visit www.incredible-adventures.com.

About Incredible Adventures

Incredible Adventures is an international adventure company based in Sarasota, Florida. The company is best known for introducing the world to high-altitude MiG fighter jet flights in Russia back in 1993 and offering great white shark adventures in San Francisco. Other adventures include military fantasy camps and hands-on space training.
Learn more at www.incredible-adventures.com.

Media Contact:

Jane Reifert, VP of Marketing, Incredible Adventures
1-800-644-7382
jane@incredible-adventures.com

SOURCE: Incredible Adventures

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