Birdman 'sets flight record'

A stuntman in a wingsuit has made a "record-breaking" 11-mile unaided flight over the west coast of Ireland.

Ueli 'Sputnik' Gegenschatz from Switzerland glided from above the Aran Islands over Galway Bay to Connemara regional airport.

It is believed to be a new distance record for an unaided flight.

"I was fortunate to have very strong tailwinds on the day which increased my chances of making the long distance," he said.

"I was happy not to land in the ocean as I've heard the Irish waters are very cold."

Sputnik jumped from a skydiving aircraft 4,500m high and helped by a strong tailwind flew over the Atlantic at an average speed of 155mph.

Sputnik has made a series of daring leaps in the winged-suit around the world including The Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps and Popocatepetl, the second highest peak in Mexico.

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