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18 September 2008
LILLE — Swiss daredevil Yves Rossy will attempt to cross the English Channel next week, propelled by a jet-powered wing strapped to his back, an aide said.
The 49-year-old airline pilot will next Wednesday drop from a small plane at an altitude of 2,500 metres before spreading his wing.
He will jet off to the English coast, reaching speeds of more than 200 kilometres per hour.
Rossy hopes to cover the 35 kilometres from Calais in northern France to Dover in 10 minutes.
Rossy, who calls himself FusionMan, became the first man in 2004 to fly with jet-powered wings.
His new contraption, with a wing span of three metres, allows him to fly for no longer than 10 minutes before his 30-litre fuel tank runs out.
He can reach peak speeds of 300 kilometres per hour.
Rossy will take two parachutes – one for him and one for the wing that opens automatically once it is cast off.
[AFP / Expatica]