Sebastian Alvarez becomes 1st person to fly in and out of an active volcano

Wingsuit pilot Sebastian Alvarez became the first person ever to fly in and out of an active volcano in October. The 36-year-old former military pilot performed the feat in the Villarica Volcano in his native Chile after a year’s preparation, which involved learning all he could about the smoke columns, the air pressure and the speed of the wind.

He also had to perform numerous calculations to ensure he would be able to successfully navigate in and out of the huge crater, which has a diameter of more than 200 metres, at incredibly high speed.

When the conditions were perfect and the go-ahead for the jump was given, Alvarez had to ensure his flight direction and speed were just right as he jumped from the helicopter. He then performed a suit flare manoeuvre, allowing him to descend close to 10 metres inside the volcano before exiting at a speed of 180 kilometres per hour (kph).