Astronaut for Hire

Better than a jet pack

5/14/2008 10:22:00 PM

Forget jet packs and their severe fuel/distance/speed limitations. Swiss pilot Yvess Rossy (aka: "fusion man" or "jet man") has developed the world's first jet turbine-powered wings that allow him to fly at speeds ranging from 130 to 300 km/h (81 to 186 mph). He controls his movement simply by shifting his body weight, similar to hang gliding. This is the ultimate in personal powered flight. You can read a press release, see a short video (no audio), and 34 great photos from his flight here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080514/ap_on_re_eu/switzerland_rocket_man

A slideshow set to cheesy but appropriate music is below:

This video is longer and shows a lot more detail (not much English spoken, though):

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