Wingsuiter Hits 342 MPH In Jet Stream Flight

A Red Bull wingsuiter set some obscure albeit impressive records March 22 when he jumped into the jet stream over Tennessee and flew at more than 300 mph. "I was flying way faster than a Formula One car," Sebastián Álvarez said after the flight. "It's not that I want to compare to them, but it feels pretty good to be really fast - especially the fastest human alive." The former Chilean air force pilot, known as El Ardilla (The Squirrel) in his home country, broke three speed records for that branch of aviation. Red Bull called the effort the Starman Mission.

According to Red Bull, Alvarez got to 342 mph, traveled 33.22 miles and his flight lasted 11 minutes and 1 second, easily eclipsing previous records. He used a specially tricked-out wingsuit with wingtip extensions and fairings around his feet. He also had electrically heated underwear. He jumped from 41,470 feet.