Chilean Pilot, Skydiver Completes Amazing Flight At West Tennessee Skydiving

Chilean wingsuit pilot Sebastián ‘Ardilla’ Álvarez completed an incredible flight at the West Tennessee Skydiving center on March 22, 2025, at the Wings Field Airport (2TN2) in Whiteville, east of Memphis, under official FAI (World Air Sports Federation) observation.

Alvarez is a former Chilean Air Force pilot and skydiver and he completed the flight as part of the Red Bull Starman mission.

He has submitted preliminary claims for several FAI and South American records for the flight:

 Skydiving – Wingsuit Flying

• Distance of Flight: 53,448.50 meters for World and South American records
• Time of Fall: 661.29 seconds for World and South American records

 Skydiving – Altitude/Fall

• Exit Altitude: 12,639.63 meters for South American record
• Distance of Fall without Drogue: 11,707.62 meters for South American record

Alvarez said of the flight, “This mission was about taking human flight to the next level - not just for me, but to show what’s possible when you dream big and commit fully. There were, of course, moments of doubt, but with the right preparation, training, and technology, we made it happen."

Michael Cooper, the ISC Wingsuit Judge present, noted that the achievement was remarkable not just for surpassing existing records, but by doing so with impressive margins.

Alberto Martin Paracuellos, President of the FAI Skydiving Commission (ISC) said, “First of all, I would like to warmly congratulate athlete Sebastian Álvarez on this incredible sporting achievement, which marks a significant moment for the discipline of Wingsuit Flying. His performance takes the sport to a new level and clearly demonstrates that hard work and constant dedication pay off.

“FAI records represent the highest standard in air sports—rigorously verified and deeply respected. Breaking records reflects not only personal mastery, but also supports the growth and visibility of skydiving and air sports worldwide.

“I feel it is also important to acknowledge the role of long-term support from partners such as Red Bull who believe in the potential of air sports and the athletes that drive them forward. Their ongoing commitment makes achievements like this possible and helps our sports continue to evolve.”

Cooper also commented that depending on how they fly, wingsuit pilots typically optimize their flight for just one element – time, distance or speed. The optimization of all those elements were strong suggested that Alvarez flew a clean, efficient, and very balanced flight.

FMI:  www.fai.org/