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Is a Bird? Is it a Plane? First Crossing of English Channel Using Jet-Powered Wings

Posted September 26, 2008 10:12 AM

From BBC News | Technology | World Edition:

A Swiss pilot becomes the first person to fly across the English Channel using a jet-powered fixed wing. Yves Rossy landed safely after the 22-mile (35.4 km) flight from Calais to Dover, which had been twice postponed this week because of bad weather. The former military pilot took less than 10 minutes to complete the crossing and parachute to the ground. The 49-year-old flew on a plane to more than 8,200ft (2,500m), ignited jets on a wing on his back, and jumped out. Mr Rossy had hoped to reach speeds of 125mph. It felt "great, really great", said Mr Rossy: "I only have one word, thank you, to all the people who did it with me." He said weather conditions on Friday had been perfect and his success signalled "big potential" for people to fly "a little bit like a bird" in the future. Known as "Fusionman," he was aiming to follow the route taken by French airman Louis Blériot 99 years ago when he became the first person to fly across the English Channel in a plane.

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artbyjoe
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#1

Re: Is a Bird? Is it a Plane? First Crossing of English Channel Using Jet-Powered Wings

09/26/2008 11:23 PM

impressive
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cnpower
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#2

Re: Is a Bird? Is it a Plane? First Crossing of English Channel Using Jet-Powered Wings

09/26/2008 11:29 PM

the first bird man.
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dadw5boys
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#3

Re: Is a Bird? Is it a Plane? First Crossing of English Channel Using Jet-Powered Wings

09/27/2008 3:37 AM

Yeah I watched him on T.V. he was moving too . what was it 11 minuites for him to cross the channel and land ?

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D.RAMAKRISHNA NAIDU
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#4

Re: Is a Bird? Is it a Plane? First Crossing of English Channel Using Jet-Powered Wings

09/27/2008 5:17 AM

Louis Blériot 99 years ago and Icarius?The first to propose attachment of wings to man to fly like a bird.Why must the French (and a Swissman on French soil) be always ahead? Montgolfier?

I too watched the entire proceedings on National Geographic TV channel and was carried away by the utter humbleness of the man with so much of achievement behind him.This attribute is what has ensured his success-I believe.He was also the very picture of calmness. Aviation history was made.Now we need a way to get aloft (without having to jump out from a plane having had to start up the jet engines inside the aircraft - a very very risky operation) from the ground and also a proper landing on the feet and spare the knees.

All in all a magnificient man fused to a magnificient wing.

D.Ramakrishna Naidu

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jhammond
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#5

Re: Is a Bird? Is it a Plane? First Crossing of English Channel Using Jet-Powere

09/27/2008 9:07 AM

Anybody who can draw his inspiration from the coyote in Roadrunner cartoons is my kind of inventor. I wonder if it said AJAX or ACME on his rockets.

jhammond

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Sparkstation
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#6

Re: Is a Bird? Is it a Plane? First Crossing of English Channel Using Jet-Powered Wings

09/27/2008 10:12 PM

Saw this on local TV here, quite a feat.

Now the intrepid Yves Rossy is out looking for a Superman suit.

Next item on his design agenda, is Xray vision.

Kind Regards....

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StandardsGuy
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#7

Re: Is a Bird? Is it a Plane? First Crossing of English Channel Using Jet-Powered Wings

09/28/2008 12:13 AM

Reminds me of the movie "The Rocketeer".

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Sparkstation
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#8

Improvement for a ground take-off is still needed

09/28/2008 6:07 PM

The next improvement in the wing is to be able to actually take-off from the ground, directly with the wing.

It is not always going to be possible to have a 2,500 metre vertical head start, as with the above demonstration across the English channel.

Kind Regards....

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