The thrill and tragedy of flying like a bird in RTD’s Base jumping documentaries

Man’s desire to fly like a bird goes back to antiquity. As technology has progressed, jumping from an extreme height and soaring like a bird has become a high-adrenaline sport. Six Russian friends took up the challenge 25 years ago, learning to fly and swoop like birds. They’ve thrilled themselves and onlookers by flying over waterfalls and from mountains on every continent including Antarctica. However, the excitement is tinged with tragedy as three of the birdmen have died in pursuit of their sport.