A 74-year-old US skydiver has set a Guinness World Record as the oldest man to fly in a wingsuit. With more than five decades of skydiving experience, he has now added another record to his name.
Richard “Rich” Greenwood achieved the feat after returning to the skies following a difficult period that kept him away from the sport.
Over the years, he took his interest in aviation further, earning certificates in commercial piloting, aircraft mechanics and parachute rigging. He also studied aerospace engineering and aviation safety. Greenwood’s return to skydiving did not happen overnight. He later gained weight and was diagnosed with cancer, putting his passion for the sport on hold for several years. Getting back into the air meant working on his health first.
Before retiring in 2018, he worked as an aircraft accident investigator for the US Air Force, as detailed in the Guinness World Records profile. In 2016, he underwent a double knee replacement, which kept him away from jumping. Greenwood lost 80 pounds (around 36 kg) and received cancer treatment at the Mayo Clinic. After recovering, he returned to skydiving in 2023.
