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Rocketman Takes Off In Custom-Made Wingsuit

disco_tracy writes "Yves Rossy, the Swiss adventurer who has already flown across the English Channel using a winged jet-pack, pulled off another exploit Friday, flying two aerial loops in a new version of his invention. Rossy, who was testing a new, more aerodynamic model of the jet-pack, jumped from a hot-air balloon at 2,400 meters (7,900 feet) and performed the stunt during an 18-minute flight before making a parachute landing." The BBC has some video of his flight, and the Washington Post put up a handful of pictures.

4 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. Wow by guybrush3pwood · · Score: 2, Informative

    That's one cool motherf#cker...

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    Perhaps I'm trolling, perhaps I'm not.
  2. Not taking off by RPI+Geek · · Score: 4, Informative

    That is very cool, but it's not taking off. Taking off means starting from the ground, which still hasn't happened yet.

    Mayhaps a poor choice of words, disco_tracy.

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    - "Nobody came out that night, not one was ever seen. But Old Man Stauf is waiting there, crazy sick and mean!"
  3. Re:Not to take anything away but . . . by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 3, Informative

    He does do a vertical loop. Watch the video

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    If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
  4. Re:Imagine what it would be like by Muad'Dave · · Score: 2, Informative

    Turkeys can, in fact, fly.

    But they can't land for squat. I watched one come in for a landing while hunting, and I must say that had to hurt - he hit the ground and proceeded to blast through some underbrush like a bowling ball.

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    Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.