Free falling 19-stories into National Harbor (Video)

Andrew Mollenbeck, wtop.com

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – With a confident step, Miles Daisher dropped from 19-stories up, controlled his parachute, glided through a water display and eventually touched down safely — all in a hotel atrium.

The unusual and tricky indoor jump was to promote the National Red Bull Flugtag, or flying competition.

“You don’t got butterflies, those are bats down there,” Daisher said before the jump.

The Red Bull Air Force skydiver BASE jumper had practiced for this tight jump about 100 times near his home in Idaho.

“This is the world’s tightest BASE jump for sure,” he says, referring to jumps that originate from buildings, antennas, spans and earth.

The Flugtag event kicks off at National Harbor Sept. 21. Four other cities will also host a competition.

Daring, imaginative participants build human-powered flying machines for the event. They take off from a pier and plunge into the water below.

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