Rocket Man To Fly Over Channel

[Ck]

A Swiss airline pilot known as Rocket Man has moved closer to becoming the first man to fly freely use a jetpowered backpack to fly over the Channel.

Yves Rossy completed a 10-minute test flight with an 8ft jet-powered wing strapped to his back, flying more than 22 miles - the equivalent of travelling from Dover to Calais.

Mr Rossy, 48, first tested his wings in May after working on the contraption for four years. The self-styled "Rocket Man" flew at 8,200ft for more than five minutes after jumping out from a plane. The wings have four small engines attached to a carbon wing and can manipulated using a lever that controls the fuel.

Last week's test flight, which had been postponed several times because of engine problems, saw Rossy jump out of a small plane 7,500ft above the town of Bex, in Switzerland. He reached 180mph as he flew through clear skies to Villeneuve and back.

He wore a heat-resistant suit similar to those worn by racing drivers and deployed two parachutes at 5,000ft and 4,000ft to land at Bex airfield with two litres of fuel left.

He said: "Everything went well, it was awesome, it's my longest flight with this wing. If there are no technical problems it's okay for the English Channel."

Mr Rossy is due to cross the Channel on September 24 and the event will be broadcast live in 165 countries by the National Geographic Channel. He said: "My flight will be a tribute to all those who came before me, many of whom were killed."

In an earlier experimental flight three years ago he lost control and spiralled to just 1,600ft from the ground before managing to open his parachute.

YouTube ~ Yves Rossy The Swiss Jet Man



YouTube ~ Swiss Rocket Man - Yves Rossy

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[Alpha]

Looks good. Don't forget your passport!

[Ck]

Swiss adventurer uses homemade wing in attempt to cross Channel.
Weather permitting, Yves Rossy - also known as Jet Man - will step out of a light plane more than 2,500 meters above Calais, France.

Relying entirely on his own body to steer, he will open his wing, flick on his four tiny jets and rocket over the 22-mile sea stretch to Dover in about 12 minutes at speeds of up to 187 miles per hour.

He will uses a motorcycle grip to control thrust.

If he successfully parachutes down on British soil, he will become the first person in history to have carried out a solo, jet- propelled flight from Dover to Calais, retracing the route – albeit at far higher velocity - of French aviator Louis Bleriot, the first person to cross the Channel in an aeroplane 99 years ago.

The 47-year old, whose day job is flying passengers for Swiss, the national airline, has a carbon composite-wing carrying four kerosene-burning jet turbines adapted from jets for model aircraft and unmanned military drones.

In all, the contraption weighs 55 kilograms when loaded with fuel.

He has taken six years to develop his jet wing and has been practising for months, giving a stunning aerodynamic display in May, when he performed figure of eights high above the Alps.

As well as a crash helmet, he will wear a heat-proof suit resembling those worn by Formula One drivers to protect him from the scorching heat of the engines, whose temperature is kept from overheating by the high wind and altitude.

His daring attempt can be watched live, as cameras have been installed into the launch plane and on a helicopter following him.

If all goes well, he hopes to create more powerful engines and a lighter wing that will enable him to climb vertically like a fighter jet and take off from the ground.

Although his current device is a prototype, he ultimately hopes to market his Jet Man wing to flying enthusiasts at a similar price to a microlight aircraft.


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[Alpha]

''To infinity and BEYOND!!!!''

[Ck]

A Swiss pilot attempting to be the first person in history to fly across the Channel with a homemade jet powered wing strapped to his back has been scuppered by the British weather.

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[Earl]

A Swiss daredevil crossed the English Channel strapped to a homemade jet-propelled wing Friday, parachuting into a field near the white cliffs of Dover after a 10-minute solo flight. Yves Rossy leapt from a plane at around 8,200 feet (2,500 meters), fired up...



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[FreeBBC]

real life buzz lightyear

[Alpha]

To infinity and BEYOND!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ck]

That's not flying, that's falling with style.

[Donachiel]

It might sound like a child's fantasy, but yesterday daredevil Yves Rossy looked as if he had brought the Toy Story character to life when he shot over the sea from France in an incredible 13 minutes.

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