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Rocketman Takes Off In Custom-Made Wingsuit

Posted by Soulskill on from the burning-out-his-fuse dept.

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.

9 of 73 comments (clear)

  1. Cool by galvanash · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have nothing snarky to say. That was just cool.

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

    That's one cool motherf#cker...

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    Perhaps I'm trolling, perhaps I'm not.
  3. winged person by tverbeek · · Score: 3, Funny

    TFA calls him "the first winged person to make a successful crossing of the Channel".

    That's not counting Hawkman's attempt in All-Star Comics #16, which was thwarted by the Luftwaffe, forcing him to land in Guernsey. :)

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  4. Imagine what it would be like by sizzzzlerz · · Score: 4, Funny

    if these suits were commercially available and people used them. We'd have people falling out of the sky like live turkeys being thrown from the traffic helicopter by Les Nessman in the old WKRP in Cincinnati TV show.

    ** As god is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly! **

    1. 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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  5. Re:Really an assisted skydive, but cool anyway by owlstead · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Absolutely, can't see any issue with jet powered individuals flying over crowded areas.

  6. 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!"
  7. 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...
  8. Re:Where's Helicopter-man?? by RPI+Geek · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Actually, yes.

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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!"