HIGH-flying hunk David Hasselhoff better hope his Baywatch ratings never take a dive like this!

But the TV veterans was more than happy to take a tummy-turning tumble to celebrate his recent 40th birthday.

Actually, the parachute jump was a present from wife Pamela, who decided tha if David was finally going to realize a long-held dream to plunge 7,000 feet through the air he was going to do it with the best.

That's why she organized it so he couldjump with the Army's eliteparachute team the Golden Knights.

"She felt a whole let better knowing he was coming down with experts," said a pal.

David - who took the jump over Van Nuys Airpor outside Los angeles while an anxious Pamela waited with daughters Taylor-Ann, 8, and Hayley, 5 - said he wasn't that worried about his leap of faith.

In fact he said he was more nervous singing at the Princess diana charity concert in England last month.

After his smooth touchdown, the debonair actor slipped out of his jumpsuit then took the family out for a well-deserved birthday meal.