Yes to the Dream of Flying

As long as there have been people, there have been dreams of flying. For Tim Hedderich, this dream has come true twice over. He is a captain with Lufthansa and a professional skydiver. The sport can be divided into two categories, both of which Hedderich masters: skydiving, i.e. jumping from airplanes or helicopters, and base jumping, jumping from objects – whereby the acronym "base" here stands for Buildings, Antennae (transmission masts), Span (bridges) and Earth (in the sense of rocky outcrops).

Hedderich's track record in extreme sports is impressive. He was German champion, won medals at international competitions, and was involved in several world records.

Wingsuit flying is a particular discipline of skydiving. Athletes wear a special suit that increases their body surface area – and literally gives them wings. You can't get any closer to the dream of flying than gliding over forests, meadows, and mountains with your arms outstretched. Miles of flight at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour are possible with wingsuits.  

"I also got into the sport through flying," says Hedderich. "At a layover in Los Angeles in 2005, a colleague told me that he was a skydiver and asked if I would like to come along and do a jump." He did so, and instantly tasted blood. "We had four days off on site and I immediately started working on my license."

Hedderich takes the risks involved in extreme sports seriously but calmly. What is the best attitude to take towards the sport? Hedderich sees many parallels with his job as a pilot, because the high safety record of an airline like Lufthansa is not a product of chance; it is worked out anew every day. The safe execution of all the flights requires a lot of training, experience, and good preparation. It is the same with Hedderich's sport. "There are no shortcuts to getting where you want to go," he says. "I mentally prepare for everything I might be confronted with. There always has to be a plan B that I can fall back on."

Sport, as nerve-wracking as it may look from the outside, is also an incredibly nice antidote to the hectic pace of work and life in a big city, says Hedderich. Before you reach an exit, i.e. the jump-off point on a mountain, you often have to spend hours or even days ascending and climbing in incredibly beautiful surroundings – always together with good friends who share this passion. "Being in the mountains relaxes me and the climbs offer opportunities for great conversations without distractions," says Hedderich.

Despite his countless jumps, Hedderich finds that his enthusiasm for flying has never really changed. One jump that he has completed many times is called Corna Frea. Wingsuiters fly around a mountain massif in the north of Lake Garda, cross the lake, and finally land on the beach or in the town park of Riva del Garda. "When we sit on the promenade in Riva afterwards with pasta and wine and look at the mountain we've just come from, it always feels a little surreal – that we can fly the whole distance from the mountain over the lake to the town with just a piece of fabric."