LAS VEGAS: A Swiss adventurer dubbed “JetMan,” who flew into the record books by crossing the English Channel between Britain and France, was to attempt an elaborate flying descent into the Grand Canyon, Friday. Yves Rossy was to be dropped from a helicopter high above the world-famous US landmark and make a series of loops, powered only by a winged jet-pack, before in theory landing on the floor of the immense geological fissure. Unlike in his 2008 flight from France to Britain, the 51-year-old will not cross the Grand Canyon from one side to the other, but instead spend 15 minutes in acrobatic flight over the miles-wide gorge. Last November he performed a similar feat in the skies above the Swiss canyon of Vaud. In September 2008 Rossy, whose jet-pack can reach speeds of around 200 kilometers (124 miles) an hour, gained international attention when he became the first winged person to make a successful crossing of the Channel. He covered the 35 kilometers (21 miles) in around 10 minutes, with his nearly 2.5-meter-wide rocket-powered wings strapped to his back. A former Mirage III fighter pilot, Rossy – who has previously been dubbed “RocketMan” and “FusionMan” – flies using a science fiction-style rocket pack powered by four jet engines. While his English Channel and Swiss flights were successful, Rossy failed in a November 2009 attempt to cross the Straits of Gibraltar between Africa and Europe. He ended up in the sea after high winds and clouds forced him to abandon the bid, although he was fished out safe and sound. – Agence France
