Where's My Jet Pack?!

Swiss Man Becomes Crosses English Channel With Jet Pack

Swiss pilot Yves Rossy became the first aviator to cross the Channel between England and France using a single jet-powered wing attached to his back. Rossy soared through clear skies during his 37-kilometer (23-mile) flight, then opened a blue and yellow parachute to land safely in Dover. The portion of his flight over water took less than 10 minutes. Rossy postponed an attempt yesterday due to bad weather, saying that he would rather wait than fail. “I would be disappointed to be in the water now and tomorrow it's perfectly blue sky,'' he said yesterday.

Rossy took off from France in a plane and jumped from an altitude of more than 3,000 meters (10,000 feet). His flight started over the French port of Calais. His craft was designed to reach a speed of 190 kilometers an hour.