This is so frakkin cool. I am totally jealous of this guy. His name is Yves Rossy. He's a 47 year old Swiss airline pilot and he's done something so unbelieveably awesome he should be hailed by all geeks everywhere as one of the true heroes. Mr. Rossy has built himself a single person winged jetpack, and he's successfully flown it over the channel from France To England.
Crossing the 22-mile English Channel in a mere 13 minutes, the 48-year-old Rossy is said to have simply moved his head and back to steer the gizmo—made of eight-foot carbon-composite wings and kerosene-fuelled jet turbines—and landed by parachute. Wearing only a heat-resistant suit and helmet, he was moving at upwards of 125 mph. Remarked the sky captain, who took a similar, if shorter, joy ride above the Alps four months ago.
IO9.com has a link over to MSNBC, which has a video of the flight if you wish to see it. It's amazing. Rossy doesn't launch from the ground, he jumps out of a moving plane, falls for a bit, and then takes off like an honest to god jet. It's so damned cool to see.
Bravo Mr. Rossy. You have earned my admiration. May you continue to fly through the sky for a long, long time. In honor of your flight, I celebrate your accomplishment the greatest way I can. I dedicate this song to you.
It is Elton John's Rocket Man, sung by the legend himself...Mr. William Shatner.
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