174 Skydivers Build Massive Head-Down Formation Over Chicago, Setting New Vertical World Record
Skydive Chicago once again became the epicenter of big-way freeflying as 174 skydivers successfully completed a head-down (vertical) formation in freefall, setting a new benchmark for one of skydiving’s most demanding disciplines.
The record was set on Friday, August 22, 2025, during a major vertical formation project staged at the famous Illinois drop zone near Ottawa—long recognized as a proving ground for world-class formation skydiving.
A “vertical ballet” at terminal speed
Unlike traditional belly-to-earth large formations, head-down formation skydiving requires athletes to fly in a vertical orientation—often reaching dramatically higher fall rates—while still maintaining proximity control precise enough to take grips and hold a stable shape.
The video shows the jump’s defining moment: wave after wave of flyers funneling in from above and below, threading through traffic, and locking into a clean, symmetrical structure before the eventual breakoff and canopy deployment. The scale is staggering—dozens upon dozens of bodies flying like aircraft, each one a moving variable that must be predicted and controlled in real time.
Beating the previous mark
The 174-way exceeds the previous recognized milestone of 164 skydivers, a record set in 2015, also in the Chicago area at Skydive Chicago.
In big-way culture, records aren’t simply about adding bodies—they’re about doing it cleanly. Head-down adds another layer of difficulty because speed and vertical pressure amplify every small error. A slight overtake can ripple across a formation faster than many people can react.
The teamwork behind the headline number
Large vertical attempts are rarely a single-jump story. They’re the result of extensive planning—dirt dives, slot assignments, rehearsed approaches, and relentless refinement—often involving an even larger group of participants supporting the final record combination.
According to Skydive Chicago’s event coverage, the broader campaign included ambitious “dueling 200-way” vertical attempts, pushing the sport closer to the next frontier.
Why it matters
A 174-way head-down formation is more than a number—it’s proof of how far freeflying has evolved. What started decades ago as small groups experimenting with vertical flight has become a discipline capable of world-record precision at enormous scale.
And after watching the footage, one thing becomes clear: the ceiling for vertical formation skydiving is still rising.
