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{{short description|Swiss military-trained pilot and an aviation enthusiast}}
{{Infobox Aviator
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
|name=Yves Rossy
{{Infobox aviator
|lived={{Birth date|1959|8|27}} -
|image=
|image=Yves Rossi mg 4625.jpg
|full_name=Yves Rossy
|image size=
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|df=yes|1959|8|27}}
|caption=
|birth_place= [[Neuchâtel]]
|full name=Yves Rossy
|nationality= Swiss
|place of birth=
|known_for=First person to fly a jet engine-powered wing
|nationality={{flagicon|CHE}} [[Switzerland|Swiss]]
|air_force=[[Swiss Air Force]]
|place of death=
|website={{URL|yvesrossy.com}}
|cause of death=
|spouse=
|relatives=
|known for=first person to fly a jet engine-powered wing
|first flight aircraft=
|first flight date=
|f-flights=
|license date=
|license place=
|air force=[[Swiss Air Force]]
|battles=
|rank=
|awards=
}}
}}
'''Yves Rossy''' (born August 27, 1959) is a [[Switzerland|Swiss]] [[aircraft pilot|pilot]], [[inventor]] and [[aviation]] enthusiast. He is both the first person to build and the first person successfully to fly a [[jet engine]]-powered wing strapped to the back. The flight occurred in November 2006 in [[Bex]], lasting nearly six minutes. While work with [[jet pack]]s to propel humans dates back as far as [[World War II]], his is the first one to have wings.


'''Yves Rossy''' (born 27 August 1959) is a Swiss military-trained [[aircraft pilot|pilot]] and an [[aviation]] enthusiast. He is known as the inventor of a series of experimental individual [[jet pack]]s, the latest using [[carbon-fiber]] wings for flight. Often referred to as "Jetman", Rossy has sometimes tested and presented new versions of his jetpacks in high-profile events staged around the world.
Yves has served as a fighter pilot in the [[Swiss Air Force]], flying [[Dassault Mirage III]]s, [[Northrop F-5|Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs]] and [[Hawker Hunter]]s. He also flew [[Boeing 747]]s for [[Swissair]] and now pilots an Airbus for [[Swiss International Air Lines]].


== Early life and career ==
==Jet-powered wings==
Rossy was born in the Swiss canton of [[Neuchâtel]] in 1959. He served as a fighter pilot in the [[Swiss Air Force]], where he flew [[Dassault Mirage III]]s, [[Northrop F-5|Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs]], and [[Hawker Hunter]]s. He piloted [[Boeing 747]]s for [[Swissair]], and later for [[Swiss International Air Lines]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/sep/26/aeronautics ''Jet Man Flies Across Channel On a Wing'']; 26 September 2008; article; James Randerson; ''[[The Guardian]]''. Retrieved 25 September 2018.</ref>
Rossy developed and built a winged pack with rigid aeroplane-type [[carbon-fiber]] wings with a span of about {{convert|8|ft|m}}, and four small [[kerosene]]-burning [http://www.jetcatusa.com/ Jet-Cat] [[jet engine]]s under the wings; these engines are large versions of a type designed for [[model aeroplane]]s. He wears a heat-resistant suit similar to that of a [[firefighter]] or [[racing driver]] to protect him from the hot [[jet blast|jet exhaust]].<ref>Frank Jordans, AP (May 14, 2008). [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24617833/ "Rocket man flies on jet-powered wings"], [[MSNBC.com]].</ref>


==Jet wingpack==
Rossy's claim is to be "the first person to gain altitude and maintain a stable horizontal flight thanks to aerodynamic carbon foldable wings," which are folded by hinges at the midpoint of each wing. After being lifted by a [[Pilatus Porter]] plane, he jumps out with his wings folded, unfolds them while in free-fall, flies horizontally for up to six minutes and 30 seconds, then lands using a [[parachute]].<ref>{{YouTube|bEXxkWXncuo|Yves Rossy The Swiss Jet Man-ENGLISH TEXT under 'More info'}}</ref> He achieves true controlled flight using his body and a hand throttle to maneuver.
Rossy developed and built a [[Wingsuit flying|wingsuit system]] comprising a backpack equipped with semi-rigid aeroplane-type carbon-fiber wings—with a span of about {{convert|2.4|m|ft}}—powered by four [[Jetcat P400]] [[jet engine]]s,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jetman.com/|title=Official Jetman web page}}</ref> modified from large kerosene-fueled model aircraft engines. This has led to him being referred to in the press by various [[moniker]]s, such as ''The Airman'', ''Rocketman'', ''Fusionman'', and—most commonly—''Jetman''.<ref>[http://www.jetman.ch ''Jet Man'']; Jetman Official website. Retrieved March 2014.</ref>


===Developmental flights===
His first successful trial was on 24 June 2004, near [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]], and Rossy has made more than 30 powered flights since.
[[File:Yves Rossi mg 4627.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Rossy's jet-powered wing]]
In December 2006 (in Bex, Switzerland) Rossy became the first to successfully fly horizontally for six minutes using four jet engines and wings strapped on his back. He was quoted as saying: "The idea is to have fun, not to kill yourself".<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012102803/http://www.nbc11.com/news/10574159/detail.html |archive-date=2008-10-12 |url=http://www.nbc11.com/news/10574159/detail.html |url-status=dead |title=Bird? Plane? No, It's Jet Man |date=20 December 2006 |publisher=[[KNTV]]}}</ref>


Since 2007 Rossy has conducted some of his flight tests from a private airfield, [[Skydive Empuriabrava]], in [[Empuriabrava]] ([[Girona]], [[Costa Brava]]), [[Spain]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.tv3.cat/videos/71209 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160516215813/http://www.tv3.cat/videos/71209 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 May 2016 |title=Yves Rossy, "Jet Man", l'home a reacció |publisher=TV3 Catalonia |date=25 October 2007 |access-date=28 August 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.revistavanityfair.es/articulos/entrevistamos-a-yves-rossy-el-hombre-pajaro/19296 |title=Entrevistamos a Yves Rossy, el hombre pájaro en Skydive Empuriabrava |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=22 July 2015 |access-date=28 August 2015}}</ref>
In November 2006 he flew with a later version of his jetpack.{{Fact|date=September 2008}}


In May 2008 Rossy made a flight over the [[Alps|Alps Mountain Range]], reaching a top speed of {{convert|304|km/h|kn mi/h}}, and an average speed of {{convert|200|km/h|kn mi/h|abbr=on}}.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/swiss-fusion-man-flies-over-the-alps-with-jet-propelled-wings ''Swiss 'Fusion Man' Flies Over the Alps with Jet-Propelled Wings'']; 15 May 2008 [[Fox News]]. Retrieved November 2015.</ref>
It was exhibited on April 18, 2008 at the opening day of the 35th [[Exhibition of Inventions]] at Geneva.<ref>[http://www.daylife.com/photo/0aKOeAIdiCeDE Photo from Getty Images by AFP/Getty Images - Daylife<!-- bot-generated title -->] at www.daylife.com</ref>


On 26 September 2008, jumping from a [[Pilatus Porter]] at an altitude of {{convert|2500|m}} over [[Calais]], [[France]], Rossy crossed the [[English Channel]] with a single jet-powered wing strapped on his back, wearing only a helmet and a flight suit for protection. Reaching speeds of up to {{convert|120|mph|order=flip}}, he made the {{convert|35|km|mi nmi|abbr=on}} flight to [[England]] in 13 minutes, where he deployed his parachute and landed in [[Dover]] becoming the first person to cross the Channel in this manner.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-jetmanint/fusion-man-makes-historic-channel-flight-idUSTRE48P63220080926 |first=Avril |last=Ormsby |title='Fusion Man' makes historic Channel flight |work=[[Reuters]]|date=26 September 2008}}</ref>
On May 14, 2008 he made a successful 6-minute flight from the town of [[Bex]] near [[Lake Geneva]], his first public demonstration before the world press. He made effortless loops from one side of the [[Rhone valley]] to the other and rose {{convert|2600|ft|m}}. As of September 2008, Rossy was preparing to fly across the [[English Channel]] from [[Cap Blanc Nez]], [[Calais]] to [[Dover]], [[England]], but the flight has been postponed due to bad weather.<ref>James Randerson (September 25, 2008). [http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/sep/25/aeronautics.fusionman.yves.rossy "FusionMan calls off first jet-pack powered channel crossing"], ''[[The Guardian]]''.</ref>{{Update after|2008|10|1}}


In November 2009 Rossy attempted a crossing of the [[Strait of Gibraltar]], hoping to be the first person to fly between two continents using a "[[Jet pack#Yves Rossy's jet wingpack|Jet pack]]". He leapt from a small plane about {{convert|1,950|m|ft|abbr=on}} above [[Tangier]] in [[Morocco]] and headed in the direction of Atlanterra, [[Spain]]. The flight was expected to take about a quarter of an hour. Strong winds and cloud banks forced Rossy to ditch into the sea just {{convert|3|mi|km nmi|order=flip|abbr=in}} from the Spanish coast, where his support [[helicopter]] picked him up ten minutes later, unhurt. The Spanish [[Coast Guard]] retrieved the jetpack, which was equipped with a parachute and float.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/25/jetman-falls-into-sea-try_n_370475.html |title=Yves Rossy, 'Jetman,' Falls into Sea Trying To Fly Between Continents |work=HuffPost |date= 25 November 2009|access-date=18 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8378974.stm |title=BC News: Jetman Yves Rossy fails in Africa-Europe flight attempt |work=BBC News |date=25 November 2009 |access-date=18 May 2010}}</ref>
On 26th September 2008, at approximately 1.30pm Yves successfully completed a flight from Calais (France) to Dover (England), taking approximately 10 minutes to do so.


On 5 November 2010 Rossy flew a new version of his jet-powered flight system and successfully performed two aerial loops before landing via parachute. He had launched from a hot air balloon piloted by [[Brian Jones (aeronaut)|Brian Jones]] at {{convert|2,400|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/vaud/story/Le-nouvel-exploit-de--Jetman--en-vid-os--26443113 |title=Découvrez les Vidéos de l Exploit de 'Jetman'! |date=11 November 2010 |work=20-minute video |language=fr |access-date=5 November 2010}}</ref>
Rossy and his sponsors, including the Swiss watch company [[Hublot]], spent over $190,000 to build the device.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2008-05-14-swiss-fusion-man_N.htm Swiss man soars above Alps with jet-powered wing (AP)]</ref> It has been claimed that the military was impressed and asked for prototypes of the powered wings, but that Rossy declined, stating that it is for aviation enthusiasm purposes only.{{citation needed}}


On 7 May 2011 Rossy flew above the [[Grand Canyon]] in [[Arizona]]. The United States [[Federal Aviation Administration]] (FAA) had classified his flight system as an aircraft. When it finally granted him a license, the FAA waived the normal 25 to 40 hours of flight testing time, and Rossy acted quickly to complete his flight.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42977241 |title='JetMan' Pulls off Grand Canyon Flight – Quietly |date=10 May 2011 |publisher=[[NBC News]]}}</ref><ref>[https://www.deseret.com/2011/5/6/20189956/faa-jetman-can-fly-over-arizona-s-grand-canyon/ FAA: ''JetMan Can Fly Over Arizona's Grand Canyon'']; [[Deseret News]]. Retrieved March 2014.</ref>
==Images==
;Links to images:


== Latest media and event appearances ==
{{col-begin}}
Rossy was featured on an episode of ''[[Stan Lee's Superhumans]]''.<ref>[http://www.history.com/shows/stan-lees-superhumans/bios/rocket-man ''Rocket Man—Stan Lee's Superhumans''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003091843/http://www.history.com/shows/stan-lees-superhumans/bios/rocket-man |date=3 October 2012 }}</ref> He has appeared on the BBC's ''Top Gear'' Season 18 Episode 5, where he raced [[Richard Hammond]] and [[Toni Gardemeister]].{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}
{{col-2}}

:;On the ground:
Rossy was a main attraction at the 2013 [[Experimental Aircraft Association]] [[EAA AirVenture Oshkosh|AirVenture]] Fly-In, America's largest fly-in.<ref>{{cite news | last=Caulfield| first=Phillip| title=Swiss 'Jetman' Yves Rossy flies above Wisconsin alongside B-17 bomber| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/swiss-jetman-flies-b-17-bomber-article-1.1412436| work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|access-date=31 July 2013| date=30 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite episode |series=Good Day Wisconsin |station=[[WLUK]] |location=Green Bay, Wisconsin |date=31 July 2013 }}</ref>
*[http://www.adventureblog.org/images/yves-rossy-2_1822.jpg Wings folded, front view]

*[http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/904/photogdactuel1462e8dyg6.jpg Wings unfolded, front view]
Rossy was also featured (not in person) in the South Australian Primary School's Music Festival in 2014, when the theme of the Festival was flight. The song, 'Jetman', was written by Paul Jarman about Yves Rossy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pauljarman.com/composition/jetman/|title=Jetman|last=Jarman|first=Paul|year=2018|website=PaulJarman.com|access-date=24 August 2018}}</ref>
*[http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0aKOeAIdiCeDE/610x.jpg Close-up view of underside with jetmotors and harness, wings unfolded]

{{col-2}}
===October 2015 sustained flight===
:;Flying:
On 13 October 2015, Rossy and [[Vince Reffet]], wearing jetpacks, deployed from a helicopter flying at {{convert|5,500|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} and flew in a choreographed demonstration with an [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]] [[Airbus A380]] cruising at an altitude of {{convert|4,000|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} over [[Dubai]]. These stunts were done while Rossy was working with the Jetman Dubai team.<ref>[http://www.chip.de/news/Was.-Zur.-Hoelle.-YouTube-Star-Jetman-mit-irrem-Airbus-Stunt_85223734.html ''Was. Zur. Hölle.: YouTube-Star "Jetman" mit Irrem Airbus-Stunt'']</ref><ref>[http://www.20minutes.fr/insolite/1724795-20151105-video-vol-spectaculaire-deux-jetmen-cotes-avion-ligne Video. Le vol Spectaculaire de Deux "Jetmen" aux Côtés d'un Avion de Ligne]</ref> The flights were documented by the use of helmet-mounted cameras and third-party videos released in early November 2015. The videos show the pair soaring and diving around the airliner, flying in formation with it for about ten minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2015/11/05/jetman-dubai-emirates-a380/ |title=Watch Two 'Jetmen' Fly Alongside an A380 Superjumbo |author=James Trew |date=5 November 2015 |website=Engadget}}</ref>
*[http://www.adventureblog.org/images/yves-rossy-7_1822.jpg From above]
{{-}}
*[http://www.mbandf.com/ourworld/media/1/20070102-jetman.jpg From above]

*[http://www.symscape.com/node/467 Edge-on side view]
A television program "City in the Sky, part 2"<ref>[[BBCTV2|BBC TV 2]], shown Sunday 12 June 2016 9pm to 10pm</ref> about how airliner flights are run, showed at its start Yves Rossy and Vince Reffet flying with Rossy-type jetpacks, to show some principles of how airliners fly. It said that before being allowed to jetpack-fly in Britain, he had to get himself [[Aircraft registration|registered as an airplane]], because parts of his body, rather than parts of his jetpack, acted as control surfaces; but he was exempted from the seat-belt rule. It showed him being lifted to flying height on the outside of a helicopter. He had to fall a distance to build up enough [[air speed]] for his [[airfoil]]s to work.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03xll29 ''City in the Sky'', part 2]</ref>
*[http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/723729.jpg From below]
===2019 VTOL Demonstration and end of Jetman Dubai Relationship===
*[http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/swiss-man-strap.html Video]
In November 2019, Rossy demonstrated the ability to take off, hover, and land without external assistance.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de_YJzKeGKU ''Explanations VTOL and future challenges'']</ref>
{{col-end}}
Rossy also announced on his website in July 2019 that he had parted ways with the Jetman Dubai team.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200221140851/https://yvesrossy.com/about-the-first--jetman.html ''The First Jetman'']</ref>

===2020 Dubai Ground Takeoff===
VTOL and transition to horizontal flight was demonstrated in February of 2020 with Vince Reffet piloting the Rossy-type Jetpack on behalf of Jetman Dubai.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200218143748/https://newatlas.com/aircraft/jetman-vtol-transition-winged/ ''Transition to winged flight marks another world-first for Jetman'']</ref> It's not clear if Rossy had direct involvement in this effort, as it took place after Rossy announced his disassociation from Jetman Dubai.


==References==
==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
* Jet Man; Jetman Official website; accessed March 2014.
* "Bird? Plane? No, It's Jet Man". KNTV. 20 December 2006. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008.
* "Yves Rossy, "Jet Man", l'home a reacció". TV3 Catalonia. 25 October 2007. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
* "Entrevistamos a Yves Rossy, el hombre pájaro en Skydive Empuriabrava". Vanity Fair. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
* Swiss 'Fusion Man' Flies Over the Alps with Jet-Propelled Wings; 15 May 2008 Fox News; accessed November 2015.
* Ormsby, Avril (26 September 2008). "'Fusion Man' makes historic Channel flight". Reuters.
* "Yves Rossy, 'Jetman,' Falls Into Sea Trying To Fly Between Continents". Huffingtonpost.com. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
* "BC News: Jetman Yves Rossy fails in Africa-Europe flight attempt". BBC News. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
* {{Cite web|title=Watch real-life Iron Men do the first jetpack launch from the ground|url=https://www.engadget.com/2018-11-12-jetman-ground-based-jetpack-flying.html|access-date=2021-05-08|website=Engadget|date=12 November 2018 |language=en-US}}
{{refend}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Yves Rossy}}
* [http://www.jet-man.com/ Yves's homepage] (or [http://jet-man.com/prod/index_en.html English version])
{{External media|
* [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=566434&in_page_id=1811 Pictures of Yves Rossy, in flight; news story]
|width = 400px
* There's a chapter on Rossy in Birdmen, Batmen, and Skyflyers: Wingsuits and the Pioneers Who Flew in Them, Fell in Them, and Perfected Them, by Michael Abrams. ISBN 1-4000-5491-5.
| image1= [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724224549/http://www.adventureblog.org/images/yves-rossy-2_1822.jpg Yves Rossy] | image2= [https://web.archive.org/web/20081021131922/http://www.acceleratingfuture.com/michael/blog/images/YvesRossy.jpg In flight] | image3= [https://web.archive.org/web/20090326082248/http://blogs.iht.com/tribtalk/technology/metamedia/wp/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/jetman2.jpg Wing]
* [http://www.pionnair-ge.com/spip1/article.php3?id_article=196 Yves Rossy et ses exploits sur le Léman.]
}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEXxkWXncuo Video of Rossy's flights.]
* [https://yvesrossy.com/ Website of "''Jet Man''"]
* [http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=88feb91c-cd6f-4e28-81e6-3c68ee39b289& Note that aero-news.com "The Aviation and Aerospace World's Daily Real-time News and Information Service" attributes French nationality to Yves Rossy.]
* [http://www.nbc11.com/news/10574159/detail.html NBC11 of the San Francisco area's coverage of the "Swiss Jetman."]
* [http://www.ted.com/talks/yves_rossy_fly_with_the_jetman.html ''TEDTalk Video'']
* [http://www.flyingmag.com/pilots-places/pilots-adventures-more/video-jetmen-rocket-over-dubai ''Flying Above Dubai with Vince Reffet'']; 4K video.
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24617833/ MSNBC: Rocket man flies on jet-powered wings]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFCQJ5sYGtI ''Emirates A380 and Jetman in Dubai Formation Flight'']; YouTube video by Emirates Airline.
* [http://www.nypost.com/seven/05152008/news/worldnews/switzerlands_new_air_force_110931.htm SWITZERLAND'S NEW AIR FORCE]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rossy, Yves}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rossy, Yves}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Neuchâtel]]
[[Category:Swiss aviators]]
[[Category:Swiss aviators]]
[[Category:Swiss inventors]]
[[Category:21st-century Swiss inventors]]
[[Category:Swiss skydivers]]

[[Category:Swiss military officers]]
[[de:Yves Rossy]]
[[Category:Swiss Air Force personnel]]
[[fr:Yves Rossy]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from the canton of Neuchâtel]]
[[sv:Yves Rossy]]
[[Category:Jet pack]]

Latest revision as of 01:01, 8 November 2024

Yves Rossy
Born (1959-08-27) 27 August 1959 (age 65)
Neuchâtel
NationalitySwiss
Known forFirst person to fly a jet engine-powered wing
Aviation career
Full nameYves Rossy
Air forceSwiss Air Force
Websiteyvesrossy.com

Yves Rossy (born 27 August 1959) is a Swiss military-trained pilot and an aviation enthusiast. He is known as the inventor of a series of experimental individual jet packs, the latest using carbon-fiber wings for flight. Often referred to as "Jetman", Rossy has sometimes tested and presented new versions of his jetpacks in high-profile events staged around the world.

Early life and career

[edit]

Rossy was born in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel in 1959. He served as a fighter pilot in the Swiss Air Force, where he flew Dassault Mirage IIIs, Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs, and Hawker Hunters. He piloted Boeing 747s for Swissair, and later for Swiss International Air Lines.[1]

Jet wingpack

[edit]

Rossy developed and built a wingsuit system comprising a backpack equipped with semi-rigid aeroplane-type carbon-fiber wings—with a span of about 2.4 metres (7.9 ft)—powered by four Jetcat P400 jet engines,[2] modified from large kerosene-fueled model aircraft engines. This has led to him being referred to in the press by various monikers, such as The Airman, Rocketman, Fusionman, and—most commonly—Jetman.[3]

Developmental flights

[edit]
Rossy's jet-powered wing

In December 2006 (in Bex, Switzerland) Rossy became the first to successfully fly horizontally for six minutes using four jet engines and wings strapped on his back. He was quoted as saying: "The idea is to have fun, not to kill yourself".[4]

Since 2007 Rossy has conducted some of his flight tests from a private airfield, Skydive Empuriabrava, in Empuriabrava (Girona, Costa Brava), Spain.[5][6]

In May 2008 Rossy made a flight over the Alps Mountain Range, reaching a top speed of 304 kilometres per hour (164 kn; 189 mph), and an average speed of 200 km/h (110 kn; 120 mph).[7]

On 26 September 2008, jumping from a Pilatus Porter at an altitude of 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) over Calais, France, Rossy crossed the English Channel with a single jet-powered wing strapped on his back, wearing only a helmet and a flight suit for protection. Reaching speeds of up to 190 kilometres per hour (120 mph), he made the 35 km (22 mi; 19 nmi) flight to England in 13 minutes, where he deployed his parachute and landed in Dover becoming the first person to cross the Channel in this manner.[8]

In November 2009 Rossy attempted a crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar, hoping to be the first person to fly between two continents using a "Jet pack". He leapt from a small plane about 1,950 m (6,400 ft) above Tangier in Morocco and headed in the direction of Atlanterra, Spain. The flight was expected to take about a quarter of an hour. Strong winds and cloud banks forced Rossy to ditch into the sea just 4.8 km; 2.6 nmi (3 miles) from the Spanish coast, where his support helicopter picked him up ten minutes later, unhurt. The Spanish Coast Guard retrieved the jetpack, which was equipped with a parachute and float.[9][10]

On 5 November 2010 Rossy flew a new version of his jet-powered flight system and successfully performed two aerial loops before landing via parachute. He had launched from a hot air balloon piloted by Brian Jones at 2,400 meters (7,900 feet).[11]

On 7 May 2011 Rossy flew above the Grand Canyon in Arizona. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had classified his flight system as an aircraft. When it finally granted him a license, the FAA waived the normal 25 to 40 hours of flight testing time, and Rossy acted quickly to complete his flight.[12][13]

Latest media and event appearances

[edit]

Rossy was featured on an episode of Stan Lee's Superhumans.[14] He has appeared on the BBC's Top Gear Season 18 Episode 5, where he raced Richard Hammond and Toni Gardemeister.[citation needed]

Rossy was a main attraction at the 2013 Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Fly-In, America's largest fly-in.[15][16]

Rossy was also featured (not in person) in the South Australian Primary School's Music Festival in 2014, when the theme of the Festival was flight. The song, 'Jetman', was written by Paul Jarman about Yves Rossy.[17]

October 2015 sustained flight

[edit]

On 13 October 2015, Rossy and Vince Reffet, wearing jetpacks, deployed from a helicopter flying at 5,500 feet (1,700 meters) and flew in a choreographed demonstration with an Emirates Airbus A380 cruising at an altitude of 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) over Dubai. These stunts were done while Rossy was working with the Jetman Dubai team.[18][19] The flights were documented by the use of helmet-mounted cameras and third-party videos released in early November 2015. The videos show the pair soaring and diving around the airliner, flying in formation with it for about ten minutes.[20]

A television program "City in the Sky, part 2"[21] about how airliner flights are run, showed at its start Yves Rossy and Vince Reffet flying with Rossy-type jetpacks, to show some principles of how airliners fly. It said that before being allowed to jetpack-fly in Britain, he had to get himself registered as an airplane, because parts of his body, rather than parts of his jetpack, acted as control surfaces; but he was exempted from the seat-belt rule. It showed him being lifted to flying height on the outside of a helicopter. He had to fall a distance to build up enough air speed for his airfoils to work.[22]

2019 VTOL Demonstration and end of Jetman Dubai Relationship

[edit]

In November 2019, Rossy demonstrated the ability to take off, hover, and land without external assistance.[23] Rossy also announced on his website in July 2019 that he had parted ways with the Jetman Dubai team.[24]

2020 Dubai Ground Takeoff

[edit]

VTOL and transition to horizontal flight was demonstrated in February of 2020 with Vince Reffet piloting the Rossy-type Jetpack on behalf of Jetman Dubai.[25] It's not clear if Rossy had direct involvement in this effort, as it took place after Rossy announced his disassociation from Jetman Dubai.

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Jet Man Flies Across Channel On a Wing; 26 September 2008; article; James Randerson; The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Official Jetman web page".
  3. ^ Jet Man; Jetman Official website. Retrieved March 2014.
  4. ^ "Bird? Plane? No, It's Jet Man". KNTV. 20 December 2006. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008.
  5. ^ "Yves Rossy, "Jet Man", l'home a reacció". TV3 Catalonia. 25 October 2007. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Entrevistamos a Yves Rossy, el hombre pájaro en Skydive Empuriabrava". Vanity Fair. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  7. ^ Swiss 'Fusion Man' Flies Over the Alps with Jet-Propelled Wings; 15 May 2008 Fox News. Retrieved November 2015.
  8. ^ Ormsby, Avril (26 September 2008). "'Fusion Man' makes historic Channel flight". Reuters.
  9. ^ "Yves Rossy, 'Jetman,' Falls into Sea Trying To Fly Between Continents". HuffPost. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  10. ^ "BC News: Jetman Yves Rossy fails in Africa-Europe flight attempt". BBC News. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  11. ^ "Découvrez les Vidéos de l Exploit de 'Jetman'!". 20-minute video (in French). 11 November 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
  12. ^ "'JetMan' Pulls off Grand Canyon Flight – Quietly". NBC News. 10 May 2011.
  13. ^ FAA: JetMan Can Fly Over Arizona's Grand Canyon; Deseret News. Retrieved March 2014.
  14. ^ Rocket Man—Stan Lee's Superhumans Archived 3 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Caulfield, Phillip (30 July 2013). "Swiss 'Jetman' Yves Rossy flies above Wisconsin alongside B-17 bomber". Daily News. New York. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  16. ^ Good Day Wisconsin. Green Bay, Wisconsin. 31 July 2013. WLUK.
  17. ^ Jarman, Paul (2018). "Jetman". PaulJarman.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  18. ^ Was. Zur. Hölle.: YouTube-Star "Jetman" mit Irrem Airbus-Stunt
  19. ^ Video. Le vol Spectaculaire de Deux "Jetmen" aux Côtés d'un Avion de Ligne
  20. ^ James Trew (5 November 2015). "Watch Two 'Jetmen' Fly Alongside an A380 Superjumbo". Engadget.
  21. ^ BBC TV 2, shown Sunday 12 June 2016 9pm to 10pm
  22. ^ City in the Sky, part 2
  23. ^ Explanations VTOL and future challenges
  24. ^ The First Jetman
  25. ^ Transition to winged flight marks another world-first for Jetman

Sources

[edit]
  • Jet Man; Jetman Official website; accessed March 2014.
  • "Bird? Plane? No, It's Jet Man". KNTV. 20 December 2006. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008.
  • "Yves Rossy, "Jet Man", l'home a reacció". TV3 Catalonia. 25 October 2007. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
  • "Entrevistamos a Yves Rossy, el hombre pájaro en Skydive Empuriabrava". Vanity Fair. 22 July 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  • Swiss 'Fusion Man' Flies Over the Alps with Jet-Propelled Wings; 15 May 2008 Fox News; accessed November 2015.
  • Ormsby, Avril (26 September 2008). "'Fusion Man' makes historic Channel flight". Reuters.
  • "Yves Rossy, 'Jetman,' Falls Into Sea Trying To Fly Between Continents". Huffingtonpost.com. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  • "BC News: Jetman Yves Rossy fails in Africa-Europe flight attempt". BBC News. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  • "Watch real-life Iron Men do the first jetpack launch from the ground". Engadget. 12 November 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yves Rossy.
External images
image icon Yves Rossy
image icon In flight
image icon Wing
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