Quest for no-parachute jumping evolves

NEW YORK, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Borrowing technology from flying squirrels, a California man was raising funds so he can leap from a helicopter without a parachute and survive the landing.

Jeb Corliss told The New York Times he hoped next spring to wear something called a wing suit, which creates aeronautical lift and slows descent, in his second attempt at jumping from and re-entering an aircraft in flight.

He said he wore a parachute in his first attempt, which saved his life as the plane banked and descended too quickly.

As for flight in general, the 31-year-old veteran parachutist told the Times his plan for that involved landing on a runway he designed that uses principles of Nordic ski jumping and which will cost about $2 million.

Corliss predicted he could land safely at about 120 mph and will attach his helmet to a rigid-framed exoskeleton with the wing suit that should protect him from whiplash in the event of a sudden stop, the newspaper said.