25 Nov Challenge your limits!
Sky is the limit. Your sky. Your limit.
Ivan Kristoff – world renowned vertical and aerial rope access expert takes verticality to new heights.
True to his motto “Sky is the limit. Your sky. Your limit.”, solo free climber Ivan Kristoff has left the safe comfortable zone of working at extreme heights on the exterior side and top of super high rise buildings. He has aimed higher to test his mental and physical skills within the infinity of the open sky.
In 2003 he climbed to the top of the world’s tallest structure , just to do the very first selfie at extreme heights, above 500 meters off the ground. In 2004 he climbed above 555 meters off the ground for a clandestine operations for the world’s tallest structure. Now he takes his philosophy “Achieved New Heights” to even higher altitude than any high structure in the world.
“I realized I could be the Number One to start an complete the rope access work on the top of theWorld’s Tallest Structure in the beginning of the New Millennium . That’s when I was reminded that everything that has not been done before in the vertical world, I could achieve it in the aerial world”, says Ivan Kristoff.
He had to perform the very first rope access work at that height. To make things harder, he had to do the job in the worlds possible weather – in the winter, with cold winds of higher than 60 km per hour. Up there, on top of the tallest Antenna Mast in the world, the constant fight against the strong winds and forces of nature on the one hand and the great responsibility on safety on the Landmark of Canada and feat of vertical engineering, Ivan had to deal with the maximum of what a Fortis and Aviatis challenge could be – especially if there was an emergency and the only way to get his crew out of the work area above the Skypad of the CN Tower was by air. At Fortis, we know what a challenge could be for a helicopter pilot and emergency response team to evacuate the working personnel at that height.
"Up there, there is still room for innovation and exploration of new ways of vertical and aerial rope access", says the self-made Skywalker and rope work tech.
But Ivan Kristoff has been prepared for any harsh environment and extreme circumstances. that is why he has created the very first High Rise Emergency Aerial Response Team (HEART), aerial rescue plan and carefully chooses his equipment. That is is why for his aerial and vertical operations for his new project he has chosen Fortis Swiss Watches as his only choice for keeping time management in the extreme.
Ivan loves to fly. It is the freedom that there is all. It changes you. You are not fixed on the ground like a rock. He feels free up there even when he dangled under a helicopter when he did his specialized training for this job and the few world records for rappelling and ascending on a rope from the air. Now Ivan is on a mission to show the new challenges for work at height and show the future of aerial operations. He has organized a few special events to help others experience the unique feeling of the successful implementation of a project that will change the perception of rope access work and the procedures for conducting vertical and aerial rescue.
In order to continue his quest he has set himself in extreme endeavors to expose weakness and overcome them in accomplishing his ambitious goal – Mid Air Rope Access – the M.A.R.S. Project. This is High Reference crossing from rappelling from a hovering helicopter over the unreachable so far high places of super and mega high-rise buildings.
The project M.A.R.S. is a pioneer project high-rise development, Fire Rescue and emergency services. Ivan Kristoff is forming a team of helicopter pilots, aviators, firemen and ER personnel to grow beyond his personal limits in order to succeed in the project under difficult conditions.
Extreme training and work in harsh environment plays a central role as the operations at extreme heights increase the wind speed and quick maneuvers of a flying helicopter. Fortis is very proud to support his new concept.