{{short description|New Zealand entrepreneur and bungee jumper}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = A. J. Hackett | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=100%}} | image = AJ Hackett ONZM (cropped).jpg | caption = Hackett in 2017 | birth_name = Allan John Hackett | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1958|05}} | birth_place = Pukekohe, New Zealand | known_for = Commercialisation of bungy jumping | occupation = Entrepreneur | relatives = Margaux Hackett (daughter) }} '''Allan John''' "'''A. J.'''" '''Hackett''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM}} (born May 1958) is a New Zealand entrepreneur who popularised the extreme sport of bungy jumping. He made a bungy jump from the Eiffel Tower in 1987 and founded the first commercial bungy site in 1988. His daughter is freestyle skier, Margaux Hackett.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Beijing Winter Olympics: Like father, like daughter - Margaux Hackett writes new chapter in thrillseeking legacy|language=en|work=Newshub |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/09/beijing-winter-olympics-like-father-like-daughter-margaux-hackett-writes-new-chapter-in-thrillseeking-legacy.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123223331/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2021/09/beijing-winter-olympics-like-father-like-daughter-margaux-hackett-writes-new-chapter-in-thrillseeking-legacy.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 November 2021|access-date=2022-02-13}}</ref>
==Early life== Hackett was born in Pukekohe, and grew up on Auckland's North Shore.<ref name="Butler">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ssSijGtEWyAC&q=AJ+Hackett+Pukekohe&pg=PA199 |title=Giants of Tourism |year=2010 |editor=Richard W. Butler |editor2=Roslyn Russell |pages=199–207 |isbn=9781845936532 |publisher=CABI}}</ref> He attended Westlake Boys High School between 1972 and 1974, where he played rugby union.<ref name="Westlake">{{Cite web |url=http://www.westlake.school.nz/2013/aj-hackett/ |title=AJ Hackett |date=15 October 2013 |publisher=Westlake Boys High School |accessdate=21 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219095803/http://www.westlake.school.nz/2013/aj-hackett/ |archive-date=19 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He left school at the age of sixteen to serve an apprenticeship as a carpenter-joiner.<ref name="Westlake"/> During this time he took up snowboarding and skiing. He moved to Perth where he sold encyclopaedias for four months, later returning to New Zealand to set up a construction business.<ref name="Westlake"/>
==Bungy jumping==
Inspired by the Vanuatu ritual called land diving and the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club experimental jumps in the 1970s, Hackett and fellow adventurer Chris Sigglekow, sought ways to make bungy jumping safe. Using a mathematical formula developed by New Zealand's Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, he created a super-stretchy elastic bungy cord in the mid-1980s.<ref name="Gibson">{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/extreme-bid-to-stretch-bungy-record/2007/02/27/1172338606150.html|title= Extreme bid to stretch bungy record |date=27 February 2007 | work=The Sydney Morning Herald |first=Jano |last=Gibson|accessdate=21 September 2012}}</ref>
In November 1986, Hackett, along with Sigglekow, performed his first amateur bungy jump from the Upper Harbour Bridge (Greenhithe Bridge) in Auckland,<ref name="Westlake"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ens.org.nz/site/ens/files/publications/enterprise/2006/nov/enterprise_nov06.pdf |title=The Soaring Success of AJ Hackett |date=November 2006 |work=Enterprise |publisher=Enterprise North Shore |pages=3 |accessdate=21 September 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315051713/http://www.ens.org.nz/site/ens/files/publications/enterprise/2006/nov/enterprise_nov06.pdf |archivedate=15 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> citing it as "one of the most riveting experiences of my life." Following this Hackett made jumps from a bridge in Auckland, the Auckland Harbour Bridge and other bridges in the North Island.<ref name="Cairns">{{cite web|url=http://www.ajhackett.com/cairns/history/ |title=History – 1986 – present |accessdate=21 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713025252/http://www.ajhackett.com/cairns/history/ |archivedate=13 July 2014 }}</ref> These first jumps were made using a parachute harness; however, Hackett created a method where the harness was tied to the ankle and demonstrated its use by jumping off the Auckland Harbour Bridge a second time.<ref name="Cairns"/>
Hackett travelled to Paris in 1986 as part of the New Zealand Speed Skiing Team. While there he jumped off the {{convert|147|m}} Pont de la Caille and a cable car at the Tignes ski resort.<ref name="Cairns"/> He made what became a famous bungy jump off the Eiffel Tower in Paris on 26 June 1987,<ref name="Gibson"/> receiving a brief jail sentence for the illegal feat and generating international attention to the sport.<ref name="Cairns"/>
Back in New Zealand, Hackett launched his own company, AJ Hackett Bungy, and created a site on the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge in Queenstown in 1988 to become the world's first commercial public bungy.<ref name="Holmes">{{Cite news |url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/chester-upton-man-takes-plunge-7086066 |title=Mike takes the plunge for his bungee proposal |date=8 May 2014 |first=David |last=Holmes}}</ref><ref name="Wise">{{Cite news |url=http://www.news.com.au/travel/world-travel/what-new-zealand-can-teach-us-about-living-well/story-e6frfqci-1226906260446 |title=What New Zealand can teach us about living well |date=5 May 2014 |first=Abigail |last=Wise |access-date=22 May 2014 |archive-date=22 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522091915/http://www.news.com.au/travel/world-travel/what-new-zealand-can-teach-us-about-living-well/story-e6frfqci-1226906260446 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He later expanded his company by founding bungy sites in Australia, France (Souleuvre Viaduct in Normandy), Germany, the United States, Mexico, Indonesia, and Macau.<ref name="Butler"/><ref name="Cairns"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ajhackett.com/malaysia/history.html |title=AJ Hackett Malaysia – History |accessdate=6 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081228073209/http://www.ajhackett.com/malaysia/history.html |archivedate=28 December 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ajhackett.com/sochi/contact/ |title=Skypark Sochi |accessdate=10 January 2017 }}</ref> He is credited with launching New Zealand's adventure tourism industry<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/travel/holiday-ideas/aj-hackett-bungy-new-zealand-celebrates-25-year-anniversary/story-fnjjv3h0-1226757711176 |title=AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand celebrates 25-year anniversary |first=Justin |last=Benson-Coope |date=12 November 2013 |publisher=Herald Sun}}</ref> and helping to develop a safe code of operation for bungy jumping in use internationally.<ref name="Butler"/><ref name="Westlake"/> Hackett initially partnered with Henry van Asch, but the two split in 1997 with van Asch taking over the New Zealand-based business.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.innovate.org.nz/speakers/Henry-van-Asch.html |title=Henry van Asch |accessdate=6 May 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506052327/http://www.innovate.org.nz/speakers/Henry-van-Asch.html |archivedate=6 May 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
In 2006 Hackett published his autobiography, ''Jump Start'', which chronicles his bungy jumping adventures.<ref name="Gibson"/>
===Records and accomplishments=== Hackett is widely known for his many bungy stunts that have earned him Guinness records and personal milestones, including: * 1988: Jumping off the Auckland Stock Exchanges Tower, claiming the title as being the world's first bungy off a building * 1990: Jumping {{convert|380|m}} out of a helicopter for the first time * 2000: Jumping off the Royal Gorge Bridge, also known as the highest suspension bridge in the world * 2006: Opening and jumping out of the Macau Tower in Macao measuring {{convert|233|m}} above ground and holding the title as the highest commercial bungy * 2007: Doubling the previous record of {{convert|700|m}} out of a helicopter with 1,499.6 metres in Malaysia with his new bungy technology allowing bungy stretches of over 1 kilometre
On 6 November 2007, Hackett was honoured by New Zealand television show ''This Is Your Life''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/1046052 |title=This Is Your Life|publisher=Television New Zealand|accessdate=6 May 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080521015436/http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/488120/1046052| archivedate= 21 May 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref>
His company, AJ Hackett Bungy, was recognised by Westpac Queenstown Chamber of Commerce with a Business Excellence Award in the large business category.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newzealandtrademanual.com/and-the-winner-is-%E2%80%A6-aj-hackett-bungy/ |title=And the winner is ... AJ Hackett Bungy |accessdate=21 May 2014}}</ref>
In the 2017 Queen's Birthday Honours, Hackett was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to adventure tourism.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/qb2017-list | title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2017 |date=5 June 2017 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=5 June 2017}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{Cite book | author= Hackett, A.J. | title= Jump Start – The Autobiography of Bungy Pioneer AJ Hackett | publisher = Random House | location = Auckland | year= 2006 | isbn=1-86941-842-5}}
==External links== * {{cite web |url = http://www.aj-hackett.com/ |title = AJ Hackett Bungy Company website |accessdate = 6 May 2008 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070502060623/http://www.aj-hackett.com/ |archivedate = 2 May 2007 |url-status = dead |df = dmy-all }}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hackett, A. J.}} Category:New Zealand businesspeople Category:Living people Category:1958 births Category:Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit Category:People educated at Westlake Boys High School Category:Bungee jumpers Category:People from Pukekohe