Police apprehend Legion UFOs
01 June 2010
The Royal British Legion Extreme Human Flight Team, Jump4Heroes, had a little encounter - entirely amicable - with the German Police last weekend.
Team members were training at the Joint Service Parachute Centre in Bad Lippspringe, Germany, in preparation for the forthcoming Canopy Piloting National Championships and the subsequent World Championships. After a long day flying their high performance canopies at 70 mph plus, they decided to break out their new Poppy-branded wingsuits for a quick jump.
From 16,000 feet up, Major Alastair Macartney and Warrant Officer Class One Spencer Hogg, with Corporal Stuart Storey operating the camera, flew out over the ranges of Sennelager training area. With horizontal speeds of over 100 mph they were carving up the cloud formations, creating an amazing show for those watching below, really putting the new suits through their paces on their maiden voyage.
After swooping down to a safe landing, they gathered up their gear and headed inside to pack up their kit. As they did so, two German police cars screeched on to the scene to apprehend the Jump4Heroes daredevils.
It turned out that the people in the local town had never before seen such an impressive feat of extreme human flight. Unsure of what it was and how to react, they had reported the "UFOs" to the local police.
It all ended amicably with the team members showing the police their equipment and demonstrating the flight modes, impressive high speed formations and acrobatic moves.
They invited the police to come up on a jump but their offer was politely declined, strangely…
Media information:
Susan Cottam, PR Officer, The Royal British Legion
T: +44(0)20 3207 2477 M: 07775 017 889 E: scottam@britishlegion.org.uk
