A J Hackett
Encyclopedia
Alan John "A. J." Hackett (born May 1958) is a New Zealand
entrepreneur who popularised the extreme sport
of bungee jumping
.
's North Shore
. He attended Westlake Boys High School, but left at the age of sixteen, and served an apprenticeship as a carpenter. At this time, he took up snowboarding and skiing. In 1986, Hackett performed his first amateur bungee jump from the Upper Harbour Bridge in Auckland, citing it as "one of the most riveting experiences of my life."
ritual called land diving
and the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club
experimental jumps in the 1970s, Hackett developed a super-stretchy elastic bungee cord in the mid 1980s and demonstrated its use by throwing himself off the Eiffel Tower
in Paris
in 1987.
Becoming the Father of Bungy Jumping, he launched his own company, AJ Hackett Bungy, and created a site on the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand
in 1988 to become the world's first commercial public bungy. He later expanded his company by founding bungy sites in Australia
, France
(Souleuvre Viaduct
in Normandy
), Germany
, The United States, Mexico
, Indonesia
, and Macau
. Hackett initially partnered with Henry van Asch, but the two split in 1997 with van Asch taking over the New Zealand
-based business. In 2008 the pair reunited - and currently work together on the AJ Hackett business.
Hackett is widely known for his many bungy stunts that have earned him Guinness records and personal milestones, just a few including:
On 6 November 2007, Hackett was honoured by New Zealand television show This Is Your Life
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
entrepreneur who popularised the extreme sport
Extreme sport
An extreme sport is a popular term for certain activities perceived as having a high level of inherent danger...
of bungee jumping
Bungee jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity that involves jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large elastic cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or helicopter, that...
.
Early life
Hackett grew up on AucklandAuckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
's North Shore
North Shore, New Zealand
North Shore City was the name of a city that existed in the Auckland region of New Zealand from 1989 until 2010. The city had a population of making it the fourth most populous city in New Zealand prior to November 2010...
. He attended Westlake Boys High School, but left at the age of sixteen, and served an apprenticeship as a carpenter. At this time, he took up snowboarding and skiing. In 1986, Hackett performed his first amateur bungee jump from the Upper Harbour Bridge in Auckland, citing it as "one of the most riveting experiences of my life."
Bungy jumping
Inspired by the VanuatuVanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
ritual called land diving
Land diving
Land diving is a ritual performed by the men of the southern part of Pentecost Island, Vanuatu. The precursor to bungee jumping, men jump off of wooden towers around high, with two tree vines wrapped around the ankles. Land diving is done without any safety equipment...
and the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club
Dangerous Sports Club
The Dangerous Sports Club, a group of adventurers and extreme sports pioneers based in Oxford and London, were active from the late 1970s for about ten years, during which they developed modern bungee jumping and experimented with a variety of other innovative sporting activities.-Origins:The...
experimental jumps in the 1970s, Hackett developed a super-stretchy elastic bungee cord in the mid 1980s and demonstrated its use by throwing himself off the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1987.
Becoming the Father of Bungy Jumping, he launched his own company, AJ Hackett Bungy, and created a site on the Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
in 1988 to become the world's first commercial public bungy. He later expanded his company by founding bungy sites in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(Souleuvre Viaduct
Souleuvre Viaduct
Viaduc de la Souleuvre is a well-known permanent bungee jumping facility in La Ferrière-Harang, Normandy, France.-History:The Viaduc de la Souleuvre was originally an impressive metallic railway viaduct based on stone pillars over the Souleuvre River, built during the 19th century by the famous...
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
), Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, The United States, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
. Hackett initially partnered with Henry van Asch, but the two split in 1997 with van Asch taking over the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-based business. In 2008 the pair reunited - and currently work together on the AJ Hackett business.
Hackett is widely known for his many bungy stunts that have earned him Guinness records and personal milestones, just a few including:
- 1988: Jumping off the Auckland Stock Exchange Tower, claiming the title as being the world's first Bungy off a building
- 1990: Jumping 380 metres out of a helicopter for the first time
- 2000: Jumping off the Royal Gorge BridgeRoyal Gorge BridgeThe Royal Gorge Bridge is a tourist attraction near Cañon City, Colorado, within a theme park. The bridge deck hangs above the Arkansas River, and held the record of highest bridge in the world from 1929 until 2003, when it was surpassed by the Beipanjiang River 2003 Bridge in China. It is a...
, also known as the highest suspension bridge in the world - 2006: Opening and jumping out of the Macau TowerMacau TowerMacau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre , also known as Macau Tower, is a tower located in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The tower measures 338 m in height from ground level to the highest point...
in China measuring 233 metres above ground and holding the title as the highest sky jump - 2007: Opening and jumping out of the Macau TowerMacau TowerMacau Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre , also known as Macau Tower, is a tower located in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, now a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The tower measures 338 m in height from ground level to the highest point...
in China measuring 233 metres above ground and holding the title as the highest commercial Bungy - 2007: Doubling the previous record of 700 metres out of a helicopter with 1,499.6 metres in Malaysia with his new Bungy technology allowing Bungy stretches of over 1 kilometre
On 6 November 2007, Hackett was honoured by New Zealand television show This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience including friends and family.Edwards...
.