David Blaine Flies 25,000 Feet into the Sky Using 52 Helium Balloons

The daredevil soared to an altitude usually reserved for commercial jets!
Derya Ozdemir

Pixar's beloved 2009 movie Up has just become a reality thanks to a stunt performed by David Blaine, who is famed for performing high-risk acts of endurance such as locking himself in a fishbowl or standing on a thin, tall pillar for 35 hours. However, a four-story house is not what soars 25,000-feet (7600 meters) into the sky, rather, it is David Blaine himself.

The famed illusionist performed the latest stunt on Wednesday by soaring nearly 25,000 feet over the Arizona desert. According to Blaine himself, he trained for the event for two years. He used 52 giant helium balloons to hang at that height then parachuted himself safely back to the ground.

He wore an oxygen mask while soaring into an altitude of 24,900 feet, which is where most commercial airlines travel.

The stunt was performed in an episode of his "Ascension" YouTube original series, and according to Youtube, the live-streamed act set a new record for the most-watched YouTube Originals live event, seeing more than 770,000 viewers.

Add Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.
Add Interesting Engineering to your Google News feed.
message circleSHOW COMMENT (1)chevron
Job Board