Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Yves Rossy cross-Channel adventure postponed...

An attempt at the first solo jet-propelled flight across the English Channel has been postponed due to poor weather.

Swiss adventurer and pilot Yves Rossy - known as "Fusionman" - was due to make the flight from Calais to Dover but the bid was put back after rain was forecast in the Channel.

Rossy plans to jump from a plane 8,200ft (2,500m) above Calais, then fire up jets on the home-made wings strapped to his back and head 22 miles across the Channel.

He will reach speeds of up to 125mph, and the journey is scheduled to take around 12 minutes.

The carbon wings have no steering capability, so Rossy must control his movement using his head and back.

Rossy is tracing the route of French aviator Louis Bleriot, who became the first person to fly across the Channel in an aircraft 99 years ago.

National Geographic Channel will be broadcasting the flight live across 164 countries.

Source

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