You Guys Gotta See This!!!

[Chopper]

He flew this thing across the channel last year.

[MSHardeman]

You can count my happy @$$ IN! When does it become available to the public?

[Joe_Black]

Neat stuff! Always cool to see folk gettin' their jet-pack groove on!

That's Yves Rossy and his version of a skydiving wing. It's pretty impressive that he's managed to power it and still be able to maintain control. He hasn't crossed the Channel with it, and can only manage short level flights of a few minutes, but is working to improve his design for more endurance, manuverability and possibly even take off.

In 2001, Yves contacted the worlds leading model jet engine Company, “Jet-Cat”, based in Germany. This company, which specialized in motorizing miniature planes, quickly showed its interest in helping Yves install engines onto his wings.

To perfect the performance, the aerodynamic wings were improved and their span was increased to 3 meters. As of 2004 and because there was a loss of rigidity due to the inflatable side of the wings, Yves had to stop his collaboration with “Prospective Concepts” and work only with “ACT Composites” who then created foldable carbon wings, able to be used from a Pilatus Porter plane.
Finally, at 7:30pm on June 24th, 2004 and after the 3rd trial of the day (6th motorized trial), Yves finally dropped out of the Pilatus at an altitude of 4000m over the Yverdon airfield. Before pulling on the little lever that controls the opening of his wings, Yves lets himself glide for a couple seconds and at the altitude of 2500m, he starts the ignition of the engines and waits 30 seconds for them to stabilize. Once they are steady, he can finally speed up the engines and suddenly the dream comes true… He manages a horizontal flight at 1600m from the ground for more than 4 minutes, at a speed of 100 knots, in formation with the Pilatus!


Since this First success, Yves did more than 30 motorized flights, improving this first prototype with the help of his team. He could fly as long as 6 minutes 30" and even with a little climb rate.

The potential forseen with this first powered wing is huge, and is waiting to be explored!

Yves is actually busy developing a second wing with ascensionnal and aerobatic capacities. And we don't speak of future take-off possibilities...!

Thanks to his professionnal aviator's approach during his tests: "Always have a plan B ready", And coached by the Computer Simulation program of the Polytechnic School of Lausanne, Yves guarantees a very high level of SAFETY in the project.
That should gain him much confidence and support from SPONSORS!

Yves Rossy - Jet Man

Felix Baumgartner actually made the Channel crossing in '03, and he did it with an unpowered wing he fabricated from a Skyray wing.

Skydiver wings it to Calais



"Wingdiving" is a growing trend in skydiving and they've got all sorts of devices to enhance human aerial maneuvers, from wingsuits to rigid strap-on wings like in the video.

As for buying one, you could just as easily fabricate your own or purchase from Skyray.



Here's some related links, including an entertaining skydive forum observation of the '03 Channel flight...

Dropzone.com - Channel Crossing

Coolest Inventions of 2003: Skyray

Skyray

[johnnyapollo]

That's just amazing - posted it to my Major Matt Mason forum - closest thing I've seen to a real "jet pack" (as opposed to a rocket pack).

-- John

[pbkid]

damn that thing is crazy. count me in too!