Swiss daredevil and former fighter pilot Yves 'Jetman' Rossy has successfully completed his historic flight through Grand Canyon West in a jet-propelled wingsuit.
As we reported in last week’s ‘Week in brief’, 51-year-old Rossy, or ‘Jetman’ as he’s come to be known, was planning the flight for Friday May 6, but announced at the final hour that it had been postponed because final FAA certification had been held up due to the difficulty in classifying Jetman’s one-of-a-kind jet-powered wing. By the time the process was complete, sufficient practice flights were unable to occur prior to the scheduled 0900 flight.
But Jetman’s date with destiny wouldn’t be curtailed, and with a slight change of schedule he completed the feat that same weekend.
With his jet-propelled wing attached to his back and steering only by movement of his body, Jetman launched from a helicopter at 8000 feet into the breathtaking blue of the Grand Canyon sky. He flew for more than eight minutes, and at times a mere 200 feet above the rim of Grand Canyon West at speeds of up to 190mph, before releasing his parachute and landing on the canyon floor.
The Breitling-sponsored Jetman has already won global acclaim for his successful jet-powered flights across Lake Geneva and the English Channel. But this was the first flight in the US.
“My first flight in the US is sure to be one of the most memorable experiences in my life, not only for the sheer beauty of the Grand Canyon but the honour to fly in sacred Native American lands,” Rossy said. “Thank you Mother Nature and the Hualapai Tribe for making my lifelong dreams come true.”
Images courtesy of Breitling.
