When spit flies away

Skydivers from London also regulars on the Streif

Marco Waltenspiel (left) and Marco Fürst flew under Tower Bridge in wingsuits on Sunday.

(Bild: Joerg Mitter / Red Bull Content Pool)

Marco Waltenspiel and Marco Fürst made headlines around the world with their flight under Tower Bridge. It was their most spectacular project to date. It's always breathtaking for them. The "Krone" once completed a trial training session in a wind tunnel with them and other members of the Red Bull Sky Dive Team. The spit flew away.

The Red Bull Sky Dive Team is also a regular at the Hahnenkamm Races in Kitzbühel with its spectacular flights: "Those are always goosebump moments."

But they have also had many other incredible projects. Just looking at the photos can make you dizzy.

In 2016, the Red Bull Skydive Team provided spectacular shots with the "swing swing".

(Bild: Philip Platzer / Red Bull Content Pool)

Most recently, Marco Waltenspiel and Marco Fürst also flew from the Lotus Tower in Colombo.

(Bild: Dimitri Crusz / Red Bull Content Pool)

This flight is also absolutely breathtaking.

(Bild: Peter Salzmann / Red Bull Content Pool)

The view from their projects is usually very beautiful.

(Bild: Mats Grimsæth / Red Bull Content Pool)

They soar up the 15-metre-high tower like birds
They also train for their projects at the Windobona in Vienna's Prater. There, spectators are left open-mouthed. What they see behind the three-layer, four-centimetre-thick bulletproof glass of the wind tunnel there seems surreal: it's not really possible for people to fly like that. They float up the 15-metre-high tower like birds. The next moment, they plummet head first downwards while the wind blows towards them at speeds of up to 280 km/h.

Members of the Red Bull Skydive Team in the Windobona.

(Bild: KRONENZEITUNG FOTO GERHARD GRADWOHL)

Happiness hormones after every jump
Then they lie seemingly relaxed horizontally in the air stream, perform somersaults and spins, sit loosely as if on an imaginary chair, hold hands and spin upwards. A short time later, Marco Waltenspiel, Marco Fürst, Max Manow and Felix Seifert are sitting relaxed during the interview. They laugh: "We love our job, we have a lot of fun and enjoy it." Routine is a foreign word: "The happiness hormones kick in after every single jump."

The "Krone" reporter in the wind tunnel under the guidance of a professional.

(Bild: KRONENZEITUNG FOTO GERHARD GRADWOHL)

"Just let yourself fall forward like onto a fluffy bed"
They also get the "Krone" reporter in the mood. Because now the self-experiment in the wind tunnel begins. The Windobona manager is encouraging: "Our oldest passenger, a very sprightly, fit and courageous lady, was 92 years old. She did it without any problems." Beginners are given a helmet, eye and wind protection, ear plugs and relatively thick suits with a larger surface area, which are more forgiving of mistakes in posture. The pros give you a short briefing. The most important sentence: "Enjoy and just don't move too much". Then the lock of the wind tunnel closes. Now there is no turning back. How do you get into the airflow? The experts laugh: "Just let yourself fall forward like onto a soft, fluffy bed". And I'm already floating, lying free in space.

The professional and the "Krone" reporter took off together.

(Bild: KRONENZEITUNG FOTO GERHARD GRADWOHL)

The smallest movements have a big impact
The wind around me is exactly 157 km/h, as shown by a digital display. The power comes from four axial fans. Each one has an output of 319 KW and ensures that the Windobona is an absolute premium customer with its electricity provider. The air flow is pleasantly warm. It feels like strong hands massaging my cheeks. The hearing protection makes everything rather muffled, but I can see the overalls fluttering. What every newbie notices immediately: the smallest movements have a big impact: Chin down a little - it goes up. Chin up a little and suddenly the safety net, which consists of individually suspended and springy wire ropes, approaches. Turn your head to the side - and you're flying around a bend.

Suddenly I'm a little inattentive and shoot upwards. My spit even flew off. But the professionals immediately caught me again very calmly. When I left the wind tunnel, I felt like I was walking on absorbent cotton. It was an amazing feeling. How good Fürst and Waltenspiel must feel after flights like Sunday's in London.