Lasse Walker's Historic Jump Over an Airplane

Hi Lasse, How long has this stunt been in the works? Can you walk us through the initial idea and tell us how did this idea come to life?

It all started as a crazy idea that popped into my mind while I was out kiting. I’ve always been fascinated by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the sport, and the thought of jumping over an aeroplane felt like the ultimate challenge. I spoke with Red Bull about it, and they were immediately intrigued. From there, it was about turning an impossible-sounding idea into a well-planned and safe reality. We had to figure out the right location, the right pilot, and the right conditions to make it all work.

What was the biggest challenge in making it happen? There were so many! The biggest one was timing. The margin for error was basically zero. I needed to be at the right height at the right moment while Lucas, the pilot, was flying at a precise speed and altitude. If anything was even slightly off, it wouldn’t work. We spent months testing different scenarios, making calculations, and fine-tuning everything to ensure that when the moment came, everything lined up perfectly.

How did you and Lucas coordinate to make sure the timing was perfect?

A lot of communication, a lot of planning, and a lot of trust. Lucas and I worked closely together to make sure we both knew exactly what to expect. We had radio communication, clear visual cues, and backup plans in place. It wasn’t just about me jumping high enough—it was also about him flying precisely where he needed to be. Every small adjustment had a big impact, so we rehearsed everything down to the smallest detail.

Can you describe what was going through your mind in the final moments before the jump?

It was a mix of excitement and absolute focus. I knew that all the preparation had led to this one moment, and there was no room for second-guessing. The wind felt right, the speed was good, and everything lined up. As soon as I launched off the kicker, it was just about committing fully to the jump. I remember seeing Lucas and the plane underneath me and thinking, ‘This is actually happening.’

How did it feel to land successfully?

It was pure relief and euphoria at the same time. The moment my board touched the water, I knew we had done it. Months of preparation, planning, and anticipation had all come together in a few seconds. I looked back at Lucas in the plane, and we both just had this moment of shared excitement. It was definitely one of the most insane and rewarding experiences of my life.

What was the reaction from the team and the people watching?

Everyone was ecstatic. We had a huge team involved—safety experts, film crews, support staff—so to see it all come together was an incredible feeling for everyone. People were cheering, hugging, and just in awe of what had just happened. I think it was one of those moments where everyone realized we had just made history in kiteboarding and aviation at the same time.

Would you say there were any close calls during the planning, practice, or actual execution?

Well, that's kind of the nice thing about all the preparation we did for this project. We had so much data and experience from similar situations that I was 100% confident in the whole thing. And we had clear indicators—if it wasn’t windy enough, we’d see Lucas’ ground speed be too high, or I wouldn’t be jumping high enough. If that happened, that was it. Red Bull was very clear from the start: if there was any doubt, if anyone wasn’t feeling right about it, we’d cancel—no pressure.

Sure, it would mean losing a lot of money, but safety was the number one priority. If Luke thought the wind was too turbulent, or if I felt the kickers weren’t good, no hard feelings—we’d pull the plug. Everyone was aligned on that. So, were there any close calls? No, not really. We did everything as well as we could. We prepared as much as possible. There was no moment where we thought, ‘Whoa, that was almost a disaster.’ It was all controlled and calculated.

After achieving such a monumental feat, how do you reflect on it personally?

Well, besides the fact that I can now say I’m the first kiter to jump over a plane—at least from what I know!—there’s also the fact that I believe I’m the second person ever to jump over a flying plane, after a motocross rider who did it side to side. What makes this unique is that I went front to back, actually crossing the line of the propeller. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but it sounds pretty cool! I feel incredibly proud. I’m happy with what we pulled off, and I’m stoked about the team and the coverage we’ve received. Kiting has seen people jump over surfers, windsurfers, boats, and cars—I’ve even jumped over whales a couple of times! But to say I jumped over a plane? That’s something else.

What I also love about this project is that it wasn’t just about kiting—it was just as impressive from an aviation perspective. Pilots were blown away by Luke’s ability to fly that low, against the wind, over the ocean. So, in the end, it wasn’t just a big moment for kiting but also a massive display of skill from Luke as a pilot. I also hope this inspires more people to try kiting. Not necessarily to jump over planes! But just to go out, have fun, jump, ride waves—whatever excites them. I love projects like this that bring kiting to a wider audience and show how incredible our sport is.

What can we expect from you next? Do you already have your sights set on any other ambitious projects?

Besides riding in storm conditions and pushing extreme riding, I’d love to focus on more projects like this. People keep asking me, ‘What’s next—a helicopter?’ I mean... I won’t say no, but I’ll also say that helicopters have much bigger rotors and create a lot more turbulence, so that’s definitely not on my list right now! One thing I’m really excited about is working with Sky to test the new Rebel D/LAB. I’m super stoked on this kite, and it’s going to be really cool to see where we can push it.

Tell us something about this project that people might not realize just from watching the video. One thing I really want to emphasize is that this wasn’t some reckless stunt. We didn’t just show up one day and say, ‘Let’s send it.’ We had months of planning, rigorous testing, and safety protocols—every detail was thought through. We had over 50, maybe even 60 people on the beach, from safety teams to divers, jet skis, film crews, and Red Bull staff who specialize in these kinds of high-risk projects. Every single person knew their role. We even had strict flight patterns for the drones and cameras to ensure we captured the right angles without interfering with the plane. So, yes, it was dangerous—but also, no, it wasn’t. It was calculated, well-planned, and executed exactly as we intended.

Well, Lasse, thanks so much for your time. Finally, any shoutouts to the team, brands, or collaborators who helped make this dream a reality?

I have to thank Red Bull. They say ‘Red Bull gives you wings,’ and it’s not just about energy—it’s about giving wings to ideas. This was one of those wild ideas that they fully backed from start to finish. Thanks to them, we got to showcase kiteboarding in a way that reaches beyond just our community and amazes people worldwide. I’m also incredibly stoked on my gear. I wouldn’t have wanted to do this on anything else.

I had been riding the Evo D/LAB, which was amazing, but when I switched to the Rebel D/LAB, it just made everything so much easier. Having access to the best-performing kites in the industry gave me confidence. Huge thanks to Duotone and to Sky for designing the Rebel D/LAB—it played a massive role in making this a success. And of course, I want to thank Luke. He’s an incredible pilot. There are too many people to name—my wife, my daughter, my parents, my friends who kept this project a secret. I have so much love to everyone who supported me. Thanks!

Photo credits: Red Bull Content Pool