Skydiver makes history by hitching a ride on a flying airplane

German parachutist and skydiver Max Manow, a member of the Red Bull Skydive Team, accomplished an extraordinary feat. As shown in the shared video, Max jumped from a helicopter to grab a handle extended from an airplane in mid-air, allowing the plane to tow him.

Max Manow was equipped with a wingsuit—a specialized suit with aerodynamic surfaces that generate lift after jumping from a height, enabling him to glide. The German parachutist conducted a series of these jumps in the United States over the Little Colorado River and its canyon.

After jumping from the helicopter, Max Manow initiated a stable dive, following a flat trajectory toward the canyon. Shortly after, an airplane approached, fitted with a unique handle under its fuselage.

Using this handle, the airplane towed Max Manow into the Little Colorado River canyon. He then ascended above it, detached from the airplane, and safely landed with a parachute.

The lightweight Cessna 182 airplane used for the experiment was crucial in this unique endeavor. Under its fuselage was an extension arm and a large, latticework aerodynamic brake. This brake allowed the plane to slow down sufficiently during a shallow dive, enabling Max Manow to grab the extension arm handle after flipping onto his back.

The air maneuver resembles an inverted version of the Fulton STARS system. This method, developed in the United States for evacuating people or cargo from the ground, was used by the CIA, among others.

The method involved a low-flying airplane capturing a balloon with an attached line, to which a person dressed in a special protective suit was secured. Once the plane captured the balloon, it would "snatch" the person from the ground and tow them through the air.