A Working, Winged Jetpack from Switzerland

serutan writes "A Swiss airline pilot and self-described adrenaline junkie named Yves Rossy has developed a working jet-pack and flown it more than 30 times. Actually, it's a pair of rigid carbon fiber wings strapped to his back, with two small kerosene-powered jet engines on each wing — essentially a small jet airplane using the pilot's body as the fuselage. His flights have lasted up to 6-1/2 minutes at speeds over 100mph. Rossy's website and YouTube have some pretty cool videos of him flying around over the mountains like Buzz Lightyear. He is working toward ground takeoffs and landings, but currently he jumps out of an airplane, unfolds the wings and flies until he runs out of fuel, then parachutes to the ground."

Comments

hmmp

[Anonymous Coward]

That's not flying, it's falling with style.

It isn't the flying that's the hard part

[Eudial]

It isn't the flying that's the hard part, it's landing with the bones in your body intact.

Swiss Ingenuity

[hedgemage]

The biggest engineering obstacle he had to overcome was how to fit in the corkscrew.

Re:Cliffs in California

[creysoft]

Don't exactly remember how he landed, though.

Painfully.

Flying is easy ...

[Anonymous Coward]

... Just throw yourself at the ground and miss.

Dear Santa

[sbaker]

Dear Santa,

If it's not too late, I would like to add a jetpack to my Xmas list. You can cross off the PS3 if that helps.

Thanks!

I am surprised this works ...

[HairyCanary]

I wouldn't think he'd be aerydynamic enough with a sack that large hanging underneath..

sure flyin is fun and all until one of those

[bxbaser]

engines grenade 2 feet from his groin