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Episode 238: Luke Aikins – Distinguished Skydiver, Red Bull Air Force

Luke Aikins, the Skydiver for Red Bull Air Force, joins the show to share his journey from 3^rd-generation skydiver to breaking boundaries through over 20,000 skydives of his own. Hear his role in Red Bull Stratos, the time he skydived 25,000 feet without a parachute, how many times his mom skydived while pregnant with him, his pre-skydive ritual, and high-flying questions from Wild Listeners. This episode covers everything from breaking the sound barrier to a giant centrifuge. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• When was Luke’s first time skydiving
• What was it like growing up surrounded by skydivers
• How did Luke join the Red Bull Air Force
• What was the biggest insight from the Red Bull Stratos prep
• How did Luke ensure he’d hit the net
• What is on his bucket list
• How many bugs has he swallowed in his lifetime
• Is he a member of the Mile High Club

Connect with Luke on Instagram @LukeAikins.

Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail. You can also find the full transcript here.

Show Notes

• Intro & Skydiving Roots
  • [0:34] Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:43] Connect with Luke on Instagram @LukeAikins
  • [2:15] Luke!
  • [2:36] Cone of Silence
  • [2:56] When was Luke’s first time skydiving
  • [4:02] How do tandem jumps compare to solo skydives
  • [5:05] The Heebie Jeebies!
  • [5:38] What is Luke’s family’s skydiving roots
  • [5:47] Reader’s Digest
  • [5:57] P-47
  • [6:45] I knew it
  • [7:01] What was it like growing up surrounded by skydivers
  • [7:45] G.I. Joe Parachute
  • [8:12] Luke’s mom did how many jumps while pregnant with him?!

• Professional Skydiving
  • [8:41] When did Luke decide to become a professional skydiver
  • [9:22] Red Bull
  • [9:39] Shoutout gravity
  • [10:05] Curb Your Enthusiasm Shlep
  • [10:32] How did Luke join the Red Bull Air Force
  • [10:53] Red Bull YouTube
  • [11:27] Andy Farrington
  • [11:36] Yo Dude Bro Man!!
  • [13:01] Shaun White, Travis Pastrana
  • [13:14] Butteryyyy
  • [13:40] Wizard of Oz
  • [13:48] What was Luke’s role in Red Bull Stratos with Felix Baumgartner
  • [14:40] Speed of Sound
  • [15:22] Yo Bro Man!!
  • [15:43] What was the biggest insight from the Red Bull Stratos prep
  • [15:53] Colonel Joe Kittinger
  • [16:16] Drogue Chute
  • [16:34] Gs (G-Forces)
  • [17:15] Centrifuge
  • [18:45] Gotcha!
  • [19:20] Where did the idea for Stride Gum Heaven Sent come from
  • [19:35] Chris Talley
  • [19:44] NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement)
  • [20:16] Gary Connery, Wingsuit
  • [22:37] How did Luke ensure he’d hit the net
  • [22:45] Nice math, Max
  • [23:11] Safeway
  • [24:24] PAPI Light System (Precision Approach Path Indicators)
  • [25:08] This is true
  • [25:16] What other safety protocols did Luke put into place for Heaven Sent
  • [26:13] What else in his career does he think was really cool
  • [26:31] Iron Man 3 Air Force One (Luke at 1:35)
  • [27:25] Red Bull Aces
  • [27:32] Red Bull Plane Swap
  • [27:38] What is on Luke’s bucket list
  • [27:50] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity

• Rapid-Fire Q&A – Submitted by Wild Listeners
  • [28:58] How many times has Luke skydived
  • [29:40] Brendan O’Marra: How many bugs has Luke swallowed in his lifetime?
  • [30:05] Sue Pohle: What was the closest he came to something bad happening during a jump and how did he get back out there?
  • [30:48] Tim Rigby
  • [32:01] Olivia Campanella: Why?
  • [32:31] Cam MacKugler: Is Luke aware planes actually have landing gear?
  • [33:17] Mission: Impossible, Tom Cruise
  • [33:24] What is Luke’s pre-skydive ritual
  • [34:17] Jimmy V – “Cutting Down the Nets“
  • [34:27] Dr. Michael Gervais (Performance Psychologist)
  • [35:19] Danny Schneider aka The Big D: Is Luke a member of the Mile High Club?
  • [35:48] Connect with Luke on Instagram @LukeAikins
  • [36:07] What are Luke’s Final Thoughts
  • [37:35] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And show love (or roast me) by leaving 5 stars on Apple Podcasts and/or Spotify
  • [37:59] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on Goodpods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [38:00] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
  • [38:05] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [38:10] Sign up for the Podcasting to the Max newsletter at MaxPodcasting.com/Newsletter and receive How to Edit Your Podcast in Audacity
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at max@maxpodcasting.com to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Luke Aikins on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. And watch Luke land in the net without a parachute over and over again with them. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!