Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2012, showcasing the incredible early flights of “Jetman” Yves Rossy using his custom-built, jet-powered wing suit.
The world’s first jet-powered man boldly jumped out of a helicopter wearing his rigid-wing jet suit equipped with four powerful jet engines. Carefully adjusting his trajectory and altitude using his body movements alone, he then flawlessly performed complex aerobatic manoeuvres high above the Swiss Alps in the close company of two L-39C Albatros planes from the Breitling Jet Team.
Soaring Over the Alps
The daring pilot is aged over fifty, and the bespoke wing suit, weighing 55kg and featuring a massive wingspan of six feet, looks quite like a sci-fi film prop—but when Yves Rossy actually launches into the skies, it looks like absolute magic made real. A thrilling new test flight saw the 52-year-old former fighter pilot beautifully soar, dive, and loop majestically over the snowy Swiss Alps.
“The ultimate dream of flight soaring through the air, not within a heavy and complicated machine but with only one’s body—it’s a beautiful dream everybody had at least once in their life,” says Rossy.
The Engineering Behind the Flight
‘Jetman’ Rossy expertly flew fighter jets for the Swiss Air Force for a staggering 17 years. His incredibly custom-built flight suit weighs almost 55kg, packs four small jet engines, and can easily exceed impressive speeds of 125 mph.
The exhilarating test flight clearly shows Rossy performing dangerous aerial stunts such as huge loop-the-loops completely over the Alps. He previously became the very first man in history to fly freely with a jet-propelled wing back in November 2006.
A History of Daring Flights
Swiss pilot Yves Rossy, universally known as Jetman, effortlessly soars through the sky with the direct help of a custom-built, jet-propelled wing tightly strapped to his back. He has also previously soared dramatically over the Grand Canyon for a full eight minutes, and cleanly crossed the English Channel in a mere 13 minutes.
All he actually has is a basic altimeter for safety, and a tiny handheld throttle control. The impressive jet wing is built largely with modified model jet turbines. Rossy originally started with just two, then safely moved up to four to ensure full three-dimensional, sustained flight capabilities.
With the considerable aid of gravity—such as when he bravely plunged from a high hot air balloon—he can rapidly reach blistering speeds of 195 mph. The complex wing suit took a painstaking 10 years of constant development and more than 15 unique prototypes. The stunning imagery shows the tiny figure of Rossy hurtling over the vast landscape below.
