It’s been deemed official by the Federation of Sports Aviation.  Felix Baumgartner has become the first skydiver to break the sound barrier.  Fearless Felix, as he’s known, reached a speed of almost 1400 kilometres an hour during his jump from 38.6 kilometres above the earth.  That’s more than three times the height of the average cruising altitute for jetliners in what was a four minute and 19 second free fall.  After landing safely in the desert, the Austrian daredevil was not in a hurry to try and more stunts.  He said, “It’s way more difficult than anything I’ve done before, and I think I’m done.” 

Baumgartner did fall short of achieving the longest free fall record, which was set in 1960 by Colonel Joe Kittinger, who acted as a consultant to Felix.  Kittinger jumped from a lower altitute than Felix at that time, but it took him four minutes and 36 seconds to reach earth.