Extreme trio combine for world-first aviation stunt

A trio of US adrenaline junkies from a range of extreme disciplines have pulled off an elaborate high-flying stunt they claim has never been done before.

Pilot Melissa Andrzejewski, tight-rope walker "Sketchy" Andy Lewis and motocross pro Jimmy Fitzpatrick each put their special skill to the limit in southern California, with the result posted online earlier this week.

Apparently born from some kind of psychotic, circus-themed nightmare, the stunt sees Andrzejewski fly underneath both Lewis, who is standing on a highwire, and Fitzpatrick, who completes a no-hands backflip above the prop-plane.

"I've got 10, 15 feet on either side of the airplane that's going to be hitting either metal or my friends," Andrzejewski says on a short feature video about the caper.

"Precision is really, really important."

Quite – and luckily the death-defying act, which is dedicated to a late friend of the group, went off without a hitch.