Human Jet Zooms Across English Channel

Swiss Adventurer, Using Homemade Fuel-Powered Wing, Completes 22-Mile Stunt

(CBS/ AP)  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 more than 8,800 feet, fired up his jets and made the 22-mile trip from Calais in France. Rossy passed over a thin strip of land in front of South Foreland lighthouse, looped over onlookers and opened his parachute, his wings still strapped to his back.

"It was perfect. Blue sky, sunny, no clouds, perfect conditions," he said. "We prepared everything and it was great."

The trip across the Channel is meant to trace the route of French aviator Louis Bleriot, the first person to cross in an airplane 99 years ago.

Rossy has said the experience is like flying an airplane without the airplane, CBS News correspondent Richard Roth reported.

The lighthouse was the site of Guglielmo Marconi's experiments with radio telegraphy in 1898. Bleriot used the white building as a target during his pioneering flight, the building's manager, Simon Ovenden, said.

Several hundred spectators rushed to greet the pilot, trying to take photographs with cameras and cell phones.

"It's a remarkable achievement, we saw the climax of his attempt as he came down to earth with his parachute. It's been an exciting afternoon," said Geoff Clark, a 54-year-old onlooker from Chatham, in Kent.

The carbon composite-wing weighs about 121 pounds when loaded with fuel, and carried four kerosene-burning jet turbines that kept him aloft. The wing had no steering devices - Rossy moved his body to control its movements.

He wore a heat-resistant suit similar to that worn by firefighters and racing drivers to protect him from the heat of the turbines. The cooling effect of the wind and high altitude also prevented him from getting too hot.

Mark Dale, the senior technical officer for the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, described Rossy's flight as a "fabulous stunt."

[smurfcrusher]

Very cool! Congratulations!

[ybotheratall]

Awesome! For now, he pretty much "stands" alone. Now can I get one of those to traverse rush hour traffic please?

[pirmin3]

WOW!!! Congratulations.

[j_flood]

Well done!

In these gloomy days - a bit of adventure is welcome. Put this guy in charge of the bailout as he seems to know how to fly...

[checkthepast]

In this world there are 2 kinds of people.. those that perform and those that can only talk about it. Mr. Rossy is absolutely at the top of the list of "do-ers not dreamers" by bringing his dream into reality. Super kudo''s to you, Yves, and thanks for the inspiration you give to others to not let their dreams lay dormant!!

[ibzjem]

I saw it "live" on TV. Very cool. This is event is very similar to Charles Lindbergh crossing the Atlantic alone for the first time.

[observer2020]

Awesome! For now, he pretty much "stands" alone. Now can I get one of those to traverse rush hour traffic please?
Posted by YBotherAtAll

I was thinking the same thing. Sure would be nice to fly to work and pack up your parachute and wings and walk into the building. How cool would that be? Congratulations Yves Rossy!

[checkthepast]

I was thinking the same thing. Sure would be nice to fly to work and pack up your parachute and wings and walk into the building. How cool would that be? Congratulations Yves Rossy!

Posted by observer2020

I think the problem might be finding a 9,000 foot tower to jump from at quitting time!!!

[lewiston14]

Good for him. Leave it to the Swiss to do cool things. The turbines he used looked like Jet Cat engines a brand popular in the US and the world to fly our model jet aircraft around. I have one myself. They are one of the best.

[lewiston14]

Did he need a passport to do this? lol

[ubrew12]

I gotta get me one of those!

[caliengineer]

Oh no! Can terrorists cross the border with these???

I''m just waiting for the jokers at capital hill to pass some legislation...

[lemonskink]

Nice to know someone is doing something that is entertaining.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ronnierayjenkins

[downtowner97]

Cool!

[zorar-2009]

What would Evel Kenivel say?(He could have jumped over Ceaser''s Palace...to bad he didn''t that wing & jets at his jump at Snake Canyon!

Nice flight Swiss man!

[easeup-2009]

I hear it''s got a knife, screwdriver, corkscrew & scissors built into it.

[thisandthat1]

Of all the pictures you could have used for this story .... you show him on the ground after he landed .. makes no sense! By the way ...this was COOL! What a guy.

[pensacola98]

Yves Rossy is one extraordinary aviator & stuntman!!! What a great engineer and ingenuous aviator!!! We still live in amazing times!!!

[txgrouch2006]

This guy is a genius. And he''s got guts to match.

I wonder if he could help with our economic problems.

[txgrouch2006]

Of all the pictures you could have used for this story .... you show him on the ground after he landed ..
Posted by thisandthat1 at 03:40 PM : Sep 26, 2008

Before he landed, he was just a blur. They couldn''t get a picture of him.

[thisandthat1]

txgrouch2006 .... I watched it live as it happened this morning. He wasn''t a blur! And there were cameras all over the place. They even had a helicopter nearby him the whole way taking pictures of him during the flight. So please ... don''t make up what you don''t know!

[downsteamjim]

Air pollution.