The latest construction challenge to be laid before the manufacturers at NET Systems came hurdling out of the blue at 120 mph.

Nor’Eastern Trawl (NET) Systems is a Bainbridge-based company servicing the fishing industry. They specialize in the design and production of trawl nets, trawl doors and offshore aquaculture products. But they’ve had a hand in a number of niche net-themed projects — so they were not entirely caught off guard when Luke Aikins asked them to save his life.

The skydiver from Shelton was looking to break a record (not his neck) and he’d come a-calling to NET Systems in preparation for the biggest stunt of his career: a 25,000-foot-high plunge with no parachute.

So, with the basic design from Aikins’ team in hand, the pros at NET Systems set to work on the specifics of what would become the 100-by-100-foot net the determined daredevil would come crashing down into after his record-setting free fall in early August.

“That was a different one,” laughed NET Systems spokesman Xzalivar “X” White, recalling the initial calls from Aikins’ team.

“We had seen some inquiries from other netting manufacturers and other fabricators that someone was looking for a 100-by-100-foot net that was lightweight, strong, and could handle somebody falling into it.”

Challenge accepted, right? No worries.

Not quite.

“Then when we heard they were planning on hitting it at 120 mph,” White said. “That’s a little different.”

Not so easily discouraged, though, work on the net continued until both NET Systems and Aikins’ team were satisfied it was safe.

Well, as safe as it could be, given the intended usage.

“We had full confidence in the netting,” White said. “Even Luke sent me a picture. He said, ‘Hey, your net worked great. Thank you so much.’”

White said that the mellow, soft-spoken Aikins was not at all what he was expecting when he arranged to collaborate with a stunt man.

“He was real casual,” he said. “He showed up, just kind of walked around and I showed him the looms. He was just ultra casual, a real down-to-earth person.

“When I think of a skydiver, I imagine some kind of crazy blown-out hair, kind of wild-eyed or whatever, and he was just very chill.”

Though he did not watch the jump live, White said he’s seen the stunt many times since its successful completion.

“I had it on DVR,” he said. “I didn’t watch it live. It was pretty neat just to see that, watch the whole thing progress.”

Founded in 1978 by two islanders who previously commuted to work at Seattle Marine and Fishing Supply Co., NET Systems has since grown to be a staple manufacturing and design presence in the Alaskan fishing industry. Almost all of the company’s approximately 50 employees, White said, live on this side of the Sound, in Poulsbo, Bremerton, Suquamish and Indianola. They also have two satellite stores in Alaska.

In addition to their primary role in the maritime world, NET Systems has also built nets for major amusement park attractions, Cirque du Soleil productions and also the so-called “invisible” nets they created that are now in place in about half of America’s Major League Baseball stadiums, protecting fans sitting close to the action.

“We’re involved in so many different things,” White said. “We sell our netting for catamaran trampolines. We’re involved in the America’s Cup. The 33rd, the 34th and this upcoming 35th America’s Cup has had NET Systems’ Ultra Cross Netting on all of the boats.”

Though he specializes in purchasing and special projects now, White knows his nets even better than his counterparts around the industry. He worked his way up from the factory floor.

“I started off as a rigger, just a young, punk kid, 20 years old,” he said. “And then there was an opportunity for an inventory clerk. Apparently, I looked like I was educated so I faked it until I made it. Then I’ve been involved in the purchasing, production control area ever since.”

The business itself handles all aspects of production.

“We have nine netting looms,” he explained. “We have basically three factions to our business. We do net assembly, net manufacturing and we do steel fabrication. We service the trawl assembly.”

For more information about NET Systems and their products and services, visit www.net-sys.com.

Aikins’ stunt, the so-called “Heaven Sent Jump” is available for viewing online. Check out www.youtube.com/watch?v=xV6Ko7Alqsc for a three-minute mini-documentary, or www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaANi96Z-Wg to see the full stunt.