Jetman: That’s not a plane in the sky, it’s a man attached to a wing

One Swiss inventor is appealing to the human dream of flying without any restrictions or complicated machinery.

If you happen to be in the Oshkosh, WI, area this week and think you see a small plane soaring above you, it may just be Yves “Jetman” Rossy, the Swiss pilot and inventor who created a suit that enables him to fly up to 12,000-ft high.

Yves “Jetman” Rossy in his jet-powered suit.

Rossy made his first public U.S. flight in his custom-built jet suit on Tuesday, July 30, at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) Airventure in Oshkosh,WI during the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.

How does he fly?

Rossy wears a 6-ft-wide suit consisting of a carbon-Kevlar jet wing and four engines. Each engine is capable of achieving a 48-lb thrust.

Even though Jetman can propel through the sky at speeds of almost 200-mph and even though he can reach as high as 12,000 ft, he usually likes to hover at around 5,000 ft to do tricks.

 
Jetman flying upside down. (Image via Andre Bernet, EAA)

The only thing Rossy uses to control his flight is a handheld throttle and an altimeter for safety purposes. Every other aspect of his flight is controlled with his body alone. He uses his shoulders, body, and legs to steer, pitch, and descend.

Check out this 45-second clip of the Jetman flying alongside B17 bombers at the EAA Airventure on Tuesday.

Accomplishments

Besides becoming the first and only man in the history of aviation to fly with a jet-propelled wing, Rossy has managed to fly in some pretty amazing places since his prototype was completed in 2005. He’s soared above Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, crossed the English Channel between England and France, hovered above the Grand Canyon in America, and has even flown in formation with Breitling jets, warbirds, and passenger aircraft.

Jetman is launched. (Image via Alain Ernoult, EAA)

Want to see more? The video below captures Rossy flying above Rio de Janeiro last year, as well as an amazing view of the river.

For more information about Jetman visit his website.