TFN Talks with Chris Byrnes
World Wingsuit League 2019
While many spend their days staring up at the skies wondering what it would feel like to be able to fly, we caught up with Australian extreme sports wonder Chris Byrnes, the fastest BASE Wingsuit flyer in the world and World Wingsuit League Gold Medalist, to ask a few questions about his life as a human rocket.
Chris, where did you grow up and when did you first start skydiving?
I was born and raised in Toowoomba, which is a country city of about 100,000 people about 1 1⁄2 hours drive inland from the East Coast of Australia. I had a great childhood with my twin Brother (not identical) we did everything together growing up.
I was pretty late to start skydiving, I started in May 2013 when I was 25 years old at Skydive Ramblers, Toogoolawah in Australia.
What inspired you to want to become a BASE Wingsuit flyer? Did you ever think that you would become the fastest BASE Wingsuit jumper in the world? Was it something you actively strived for or did it evolve more organically because of your commitment to the sport
I saw videos of wingsuit BASE online and from that moment I knew that was what I wanted to do with my life. After years of procrastinating I did a skydiving course and never looked back. I always had the dream of one day flying and competing with my heroes, but the path of progression seemed impossible. But I broke it down into small steps and I have strived for it from day one. To be the fastest wingsuit pilot in the World now feels surreal. However I have enjoyed every minute of the journey.
What are the top three lines you’ve flown in your career as a BASE jumper?
Jumping “The Crack” line in Switzerland for the 1st time was a dream come true. It was made famous by Jeb Corliss and when I jumped there for the 1st time I was gifted magical weather conditions. I felt like Peter Pan.
The Speed Race line at Tianmen Mountain in China. The mountain feels like a wingsuit BASE jumping paradise, something dreamed up in a video game not real life. To launch from a custom built glass platform, race slalom style down the mountainous jungle, fly under the cable car and land your parachute into a media circus is wild! I feel so stoked to have won Gold in Speed in China at WWL (World Wingsuit League) the past 2 years.
Being the first person to wingsuit BASE jump in Saudi Arabia was a special experience. I measured the cliff with a laser rangefinder and did a technical wingsuit BASE jump pushing the limits made possible by the advances in wingsuit technology. It feels cool to know that there is still so many cliffs out there that are possible, but haven’t been jumped yet. There is still so much more left to explore in the world with a wingsuit.
What is the biggest misconception people have about the world of BASE?
The danger. I feel many people think BASE is more dangerous than it actually is. Yes it is dangerous, but the risks can be managed through technique and technology. BASE is a professional sport and a wonderful, fun, repeatable activity, not a stunt performed by reckless people.
Every time I watch your Instagram stories you are cooking up a storm, are the culinary arts something you’ve always been passionate about? Who taught you how to chef all those amazing treats?
My Mum is a good cook and sharing meals is a big part of my family values. As I’ve grown older I’ve enjoyed cooking more and more. I love to make other people happy and nourishing someone with a good meal makes me happy in return. Green smoothies are my favourite obviously haha. Banana, Spinach, Mango, Blueberries, Coconut Water, Chia seeds is my favourite at the moment. But get wild and mix up whatever, experimenting is good fun.
Tell us what you love doing outside of the sport you are in. Is there anything people would be surprised to know about you?
I love spending time with my family. I don’t have any children of my own, but I am the youngest of 11 children and I have 35 nieces and newphews as well as heaps of cousins. I am the crazy uncle of the family. I feel lucky to have such a big family. It is a wonderful support network for me and I really enjoying visiting my relatives and spending quality time with them.
Where did your instagram handle “Green Flying Dude” come from?
When I first joined Instagram @greenflyingdude was the first thing that popped into my head. My favourite colour is green and I’m a dude that loves to fly haha. Pretty self-explanatory and it stuck so I embraced it.
What are the pros and cons of living the nomadic lifestyle of a BASE jumper?
There are so many positives. I have travelled to some of the most remote and beautiful parts of the world. I feel lucky to have had some absolutely wild experiences. The best part is all the wonderful people I have met, some special creatures for sure. It has its drawbacks as well. Travelling a lot and living a transient lifestyle makes it hard to hold a steady job or relationship. BASE is a dangerous sport, people do die and it is sad to lose friends.
Tell us about what a perfect day for Chris Byrnes would look like? Where would you spend it, what would you do and who would you spend it with?
For a perfect day I would imagine an early start to hike in the mountains in Norway. Watch the sunrise and then send a nice wingsuit BASE jump. Then spend the rest of the day eating good food, swimming, playing and laughing with friends. Then more hiking in the mountains and finish the day with another jump. Watch the sunset and then party the night away with friends.
Do you ever stop and think and pinch yourself and have moments of acknowledgement for how remarkable the lifestyle that you have chosen for yourself is?
Often. There is so much beauty that surrounds us in nature. Connecting with nature whether it be hiking, flying, watching the sunset or just breathing fresh air makes me feel so lucky to be alive. BASE jumping has taken me to some spectacular settings in nature and has given me the time to reflect on all that I am grateful for in life.
Do you find yourself being stereotyped as a daredevil or an adrenaline junkie? Do any of those labels bother you?
“Normal” people sometimes label me as an adrenalin junkie. I do not like that term. I feel people fear what they don’t understand and if they feel that they cannot do something, then they call it crazy or impossible. I am not addicted to adrenalin, I am extremely passionate about exploring the limits of human flight.
What is the meaning of life according to Chris Byrnes?
The meaning of life is to Live. To get lost in the full depth and breadth of human experience and emotion. The highest of highs, the lowest of lows, to try and see the beauty in the tragedies as well as the ecstasies. To Dream.