Ankara: Austrian wingsuit athlete Marco Waltenspiel performed a high-speed flight between hot-air balloons over Trkiye's Cappadocia region. Waltenspiel, the head of the Red Bull Skydive Team, jumped from a hot-air balloon at an altitude of approximately 2,800 meters (9,186 feet).

According to Anadolu Agency, Waltenspiel transformed balloons flying at different altitudes into a slalom course, navigating between them at a speed of about 200 kilometers (124 miles) per hour. The flight required him to repeatedly adjust his route because of changing wind conditions at different elevations. Waltenspiel noted, 'In wingsuit flying, you always move together with nature. But during this project, we encountered different wind conditions at every altitude.'

Each time he approached a balloon, Waltenspiel had to recalculate his route and make the correct decision within seconds. He described performing the flight against Cappadocia's distinctive landscape as one of the most memorable experiences of his career.

Fellow Red Bull Skydive Team athlete Marco Furst accompanied Waltenspiel during the flight as aerial coordinator. Furst emphasized that the project required not only speed but also flawless coordination. 'We had to follow each other while simultaneously adapting to constantly changing weather conditions,' he added.

Furst also mentioned that the preparations behind the flight were as impressive as the resulting images. In 2015, Waltenspiel famously flew directly over an active volcano in a wingsuit, and in 2024, he was joined by Furst to be the first to fly through the London Tower Bridge.

Cappadocia, located in central Trkiye, is internationally known for its distinctive rock formations, underground cities, and sunrise hot-air balloon flights.