Alan John Hackett, known to most as A.J. Hackett, was born in May of 1958. Mr. Hackett holds many bungee jumping world records and is responsible for allowing countless people to enjoy the experience of bungee jumping through the establishment of many commercial bungee jumping locations, most of which are in New Zealand.
At the relatively young age of 16, Hackett left school to start an apprenticeship as a carpenter. During this era of his life, experienced the thrill of snowboarding and skiing - his first foray into the world of extreme sports.
In 1986, Hackett bungee jumped for the first time at the Upper Harbor Bridge in Auckland, NZ. Hackett cited this momentous occasion as “one of the most riveting experiences of my life,” and with his friend and business partner, Henry Van Ash, another "godfather of adrenaline," went on to develop a super stretchy elastic cord with help from the expertise of Auckland University scientists. They drew inspiration from the daring land divers of Vanuatu and the bungee experiments carried out by the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club.
To publicly proclaim faith in the new bungee cords and spread the word of this new thrill, Hackett and his fellow pioneers decided that a public demonstration was in order. In June of 1987, Hackett climbed up the Eiffel tower and camped there overnight. At seven in the morning on the next day, you can probably guess what happened: The 22 year old New Zealander bravely leaped as crowds watched in horror and amazement. Hackett flew head-first towards the ground and suddenly, about ten feet from a collision, was brought bouncing back into the air. Hackett was immediately arrested, but released about five minutes later when his identity was confirmed. The stunt made international headlines, shocked tourists, demonstrated the effectiveness of the cord, and brought the sport of bungee jumping to Paris.
In 1988, just over a year after his Eiffel tower stunt, A.J. and Henry opened the world’s first commercial bungee operation at a bridge situated over the Kawarau river. Initially, the entrepreneurs only obtained a license to operate from the Department of Conservation for 30 days. Many were skeptical of the feasibility of commercial bungee jumping. Still, in the first year, 28 people leaped from the 43 meter bridge for $75 each.
In order to create a method of safety assurance to address the public’s concern and for practical reasons, A.J. and Henry developed a ‘Bungy Code of Practice’. Their company became the first to be awarded a mark for safety and excellence. This became a model for the rigorous standards followed by clubs and firms across the globe.
In 1997, Hackett lost his business partner when Henry Ash took over the New Zealand based business. In 2008, they began working together again on the AJ Hackett company. This company has facilitated more than two million jumps, expanded to eight different countries, and maintained a perfect safety record throughout its entire existence.
A.J. Hackett is well known for developing and popularizing the extreme sport of bungee jumping. It is widely considered that without Hackett’s influence, bungee jumping and other extreme sports would not be as prominent in New Zealand’s culture, as it is today. Without his ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit, bungee jumping may have faded into obscurity, kept away from the public by disinterested authorities and stigmatic fear.