By CW Staff www.constructionweekonline.com
On January 5 2010, Emirati Nasr Al Niyadi and his skydiving trainer Omar Al Hegelan set a new world record for base jumping after parachuting from the top of the Burj Khalifa.
The developer of the Burj Khalifa confirmed that they permitted the man to jump off the tower, which had a grand opening ceremony just the day before.
Al Niyadi and Hegelan made a perfect landing after jumping from the 160th floor. The duo, from the Emirates Aviation Society, fell 672 metres (2,205 feet) at a speed of 220 kilometres per hour in under one and a half minutes.
Al Niyadi described the feat “as the best experience ever”. He said: “When we were at the top of the building I was thinking ‘this is crazy’. I was a little nervous but I wanted to jump from the highest tower in the world to record an achievement for my family and for my country.
“As soon as we reached the ground I looked up and just thought ‘wow’. I have completed over 2,700 jumps but this was the most amazing.”
