Heather Swan, right, films Glenn Singleman during a practice flight above Mt Conner, NT, 90 km east of Uluru. The pair were in the final stages of preparation for their attempt to break the height and distance world records for wingsuit flying.

Glenn and Heather after landing at Bond Springs airfield, 31km north of Alice Springs, following one of several test flights. Experienced ­parachutists, the pair first jumped in wingsuits in 2004, and have since completed more than 400 flights over four continents.

Above Curtin Springs station, near Uluru, Greg Cox (left), Glenn and Heather prepare to jump from 10,000 ft; John Wallington, front, and Sean Kavanagh work the balloon.

Each year or after 100 flight hours – whichever comes first – every hot-air balloon envelope is laid out and examined panel by panel for damage, then repaired. Before the record attempt, Byron Hall ­carefully inspected the B400 balloon’s 3140 sq. m of fabric and fixed tears with his trusty sewing machine.

Heather breathes easy at 25,000 ft on the record jump day. “Flying in a wingsuit, air becomes more than something to breathe or contemplate from the ground, or even to fall through on a regular skydive,” she says. “It’s something to play in, a new element to explore without the confines of a machine.”

By the time the balloon came down, ground winds had increased to 30 knots (55 km/h). On landing, the basket was dragged along the ground for 400 m, hitting a tree in the process and bouncing back up to 50 ft.