Air Sports

So you've finally gotten up the guts to go skydiving. But what if you finally jump out of the plane and your parachute doesn't open? Are you a goner or do you have a good chance of surviving?

By Joanna Thompson

Think people who do things like jump out of a plane in a kayak have a death wish? A small 2017 study suggests otherwise.

By John Donovan

Luke Aikins plummeted at 120 mph, risking his life in a daredevil stunt. Physics saved him.

By Christopher Hassiotis

The thought of walking a 1-inch-thick rope from one towering cliff to another makes most people feel sick. But not highliners. Where did this sport come from and how in the world do people do it?

By Clint Pumphrey

Air sports are an exhilarating hobby, but there's a long list of things that can go awry. Even the best-trained air sports adventurers need to be aware of these risks.

By Thorin Klosowski

It may be the closest thing to real flying. With a parachute as your wing, the wind lifts you thousands of feet into the sky. But wait. How do you get back down?

By Debra Ronca

Usually when someone takes a dive, he or she plunges into water. Taking a dive into the land seems like a really bad idea. Who does this and how do they survive?

By Debra Ronca

If you think Halloween is the only time you can wear wacky costumes, think again. Wingsuit flying combines the adventure of skydiving and BASE jumping with the style of a flying squirrel.

By Robert Lamb

Wile E. Coyote wasn't the first to strap on a pair of wings and fall off a cliff. Humans have spent years plummeting from great heights with the hopes of taking flight.

By Robert Lamb

Who would jump out of a plane intentionally? Hundreds of thousands of people, and they do it millions of times every year. See what it's like to be at gravity's mercy, with only a sheet of nylon to save you.

Daredevils plummet over Niagara Falls in a barrel, jump over tractor trailers on a motorcycle and skydive from dizzying heights. Explore the flashiest and most daring stunts that daredevils have to offer.

By Charles W. Bryant

Imagine falling out of a plane on purpose and heading toward the ground at 120 mph. Welcome to the world of skydiving! The U.S. Parachuting Association estimates that about 350,000 people complete more than 3 million jumps in a typical year.

By Marshall Brain

Imagine soaring like a hawk thousands of feet above the ground. You search for updrafts of air to keep you aloft so that you can enjoy this feeling for hours. Although the air is somewhat chilly, the view is tremendous and the solitude is relaxing.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.