. Check out the image gallery – quite simply amazing. Good luck FusionMan! Posted on 09/22/2008 12:00:13 PM PDT by Reaganesque
September 22, 2008 Later this week FusionMan Yves Rossy will attempt the first solo jet-propelled flight flight across the English channel. Using a new single jet wing he unveiled in May, and which has already been tested over the distance (Rossy flew 35 kilometers in ten minutes during the test – an average 210 mph). The event will be broadcast live by National Geographic national geographic Channel in 165 countries and will also be streamed live online. Check out the image gallery – quite simply amazing. Good luck FusionMan!
We’ve previously covered Rossy’s exploits here, but he's done so much more since then and we fully expect that the former fighter pilot will be the toast of the town come Wednesday evening. Bookmakers currently have the flight pioneer pioneer at odds-on to complete the challenge successfully. Interestingly, his web site hints that further challenges are not far away, including a new take-off procedure that doesn’t involve him jumping out of an airplane to start with.
I've set a reminder for myself to watch this flight on Wednesday. This is so cool!
how does he steer i wonder?
For some reason, I don’t expect this guy to die of old age! Best of luck to him though!
I’d say he steers with his arms, slight movements with wrists for turns, and perhaps his legs for altitude. But I am guessing. I wish him well. If that thing goes in the drink, getting out of it looks unlikely.
What are those 4 things under the wings, little jet engines????
Looks like they are. His feet may become candlesticks...
Body shifting...just like a hang glider.
To infinity.......and beyond!
Just go to youtube and search “Jet man”
Lots of cool videos.
We are witnessing the birth of a new mainstream sport like hang gliding, wind surfing, etc.
To infinity and beyond!
My eight year old will love this...
Thats just what they are. Little jet-a burning turbines.
Designed for RC model use. From the coloring they could
be manufactured by wren turbines out of UK.
Mike
All he needs is some kind of cool weapon and he could be a for-real superhero. JETMAN!
On the other hand, give him some sort of armor suit, a conformal drop tank, a gun, and a couple of JDAMS and he could be a super-soldier instead. Can you imagine the look on Osama’s face when he sees SKY SOLDIER on his first attack run at Tora Bora?
The title lies. It says without a plane, but he needs a plane to get enough altitude to glide across the channel. I will be interested when he actually takes off under his own on-board power.
Silly me. The web site is on the wing just in front of
the engine. Jetcat.
Mike
I loved that movie when I was younger. I haven’t seen it since then.
Isn’t it Thursday 8:00am EDT?
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/flight-of-the-jet-man-3757/Overview#tab-q-a
This has deathwish written all over it....
I just can’t imagine the terror on the first actual flight, I’d have been sporting raisins if you know what I mean
I wonder what the range is for these jobbies.... and I wonder whether various countries’ Special Forces are quietly contacting Mr. Rossy....
Wednesday at 8am.
Very good. Thank you.
There was a box on that screen that said Thursday.
The live coverage is on Weds. Thursday is the program about it.
Thanks. I appreciate the clarification.
He’s flown about 30-40 miles with them. I would think that the military is very interested in this technology.
Didn’t Ron Obvious already try this?
Interviewer: Ron, now let’s just get this quite clear - you’re intending to jump across the English Channel?
Ron: Oh yes, that is correct, yes.
Interviewer: And, er, just how far is that?
Ron: Oh, well it’s twenty-six miles from here to Calais.
Interviewer: Er, that’s to the beach at Calais?
Ron: Well, no, no, provided I get a good lift off and maybe a gust of breeze over the French coast, I shall be jumping into the centre of Calais itself.
(Brief shot of group of Frenchmen with banner.’ ‘Fin de Cross-Channel jump ‘.)
Interviewer: Ron are you using any special techniques to jump this great distance?
Ron: Oh no, no. I shall be using an ordinary two-footed jump, er, straight up in the air and across the Channel.
Interviewer: I see. Er, Ron, what is the furthest distance that you’ve jumped, er, so far?
Ron: Er, oh, eleven foot six inches at Motspur Park on July 22nd. Er, but I have done nearly twelve feet unofficially.
(Ron breaks off to make training-type movements.)
Interviewer: I see. Er, Ron, Ron, Ron, aren’t you worried Ron, aren’t you worried jumping twenty-six miles across the sea?
Ron: Oh, well no, no, no, no. It is in fact easier to jump over sea than over dry land.
Interviewer: Well how is that?
Ron: Er, well my manager explained it to me. You see if you’re five miles out over the English Channel, with nothing but sea underneath you, er, there is a very great impetus to say in the air.
Interviewer: I see. Well, er, thank you very much Ron and the very best of luck.
Ron: Thank you. Thank you.
Ohhhh! THAT Ron Obvious!! LOL! I’d forgotten that sketch!
Hate to burst the geeks' bubble, but that wing and jet pack meet all the requirements for the definition of a plane.
When he does it by flapping those wings himself, I'll get the popcorn and join the moonbats.
The Germans nearly did the same over 60 years ago.
Were you trying to be ironic? Seriesly, this isn’t flying.
Ok, I am going to get flamed for this, but i don’t think it’s flying unless you take off and land. At least Chuck Yeager’s rocket had skids, like this thing.
That’s not flying, that’s falling with style.
So, a cruise missile, which is often dropped from a plane, that travels hundreds of miles, isn’t flying? Hmm. What’s it doing if it’s not flying?
What this guy is doing is controlled flight (flying) regardless of departure point.
When I jump out of a plane and steer my body is that flying? Does a JDAM fly? IMHO, controlling the effects of gravity through drag is not flying, it’s falling with style. Missles and rocks have trajectories, not flight paths. Just because you have lift during some portion of your fall does not make it a flight. Things that fly take off and land. But I guess I am in the minority.
HE DID IT! It took him about 15 mins. to fly from France to England and he landed safely. Cool.
If you were talking about unpowered flight, I’d agree, but this is powered flight. It’s not like a hang glider. By your definition, Yeagers early flights wouldn’t be considered flying. I cannot agree with that.
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