The Guinness World Records organization has officially recognized Alfred “Al” Blaschke as the world’s oldest tandem skydiver, having completed this feat at the age of 106.
Alfred “Al” Blaschke refers to his achievement as living proof that “everyone is capable of more than they think”, as reported by The Guardian on May 13. “If you think you can’t, you are just underestimating yourself”, the gentleman from Georgetown, Texas, shared. “You just need to decide to try.”
Al Blaschke jumping out of an airplane at the age of 106. (Photo: Guinness World Records).
Mr. Blaschke’s statement was highlighted in a recent article published on the Guinness World Records website, an organization that archives data on over 40,000 world records.
In 2020, Mr. Blaschke set the record for the oldest person to perform a tandem skydive at the age of 103 years and 181 days. However, this record was later broken by Swedish woman Rut Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson, who skydove at the age of 103 years and 259 days.
On October 1, 2023, 104-year-old Dorothy Hoffner from Chicago performed a skydive in an attempt to set the world record for the oldest tandem skydive from an airplane. Unfortunately, just eight days later, while waiting for Guinness to officially recognize her achievement, Mrs. Hoffner passed away peacefully in her sleep at a nursing home.
On November 27, 2023, Mr. Blaschke boarded a plane. After reaching an altitude of 2,700 meters in Fentress, Texas, he and an instructor jumped out of the airplane and entered free fall. They later executed a safe tandem skydive at an altitude of 1,700 meters, landing to the cheers of the crowd.
According to Guinness, the achievement of Mrs. Rut Linnéa Ingegärd Larsson inspired Mr. Blaschke to reclaim his record.
Mr. Blaschke celebrated his 107th birthday in January. He was born into a farming family in Janesville, Wisconsin. He moved to Milwaukee with his family when he was just 7 years old, during the Great Depression in the United States. He helped support his family by delivering newspapers while still in high school.
Mr. Blaschke graduated from business school and began a 40-year career in the mold manufacturing industry in South Bend, Indiana, producing aircraft parts during World War II. He retired in 1982. Blaschke and his wife, Eleanor, moved to Texas in 2004 to be closer to their grandchildren.
His wife passed away in 2010 on their 49th wedding anniversary, according to a 2020 article in the Austin American-Statesman. In that article, Mr. Blaschke explained why he did not participate in regular skydiving—a sport that many much younger people are also hesitant to try.
Mr. Blaschke stated that the purpose is to celebrate significant milestones. According to him, whether it’s to celebrate his grandsons’ birthdays or to set a world record, “it has to be something… more special.”
