Reminding us how cool jetpacks are, daredevil Yves Rossy jumped out of a hot air balloon Friday and successfully did two loops over Lake Geneva in Switzerland Friday at 200 mph before safely landing. Amazing video below.
Yves Rossy, better known as the “Rocket Man,” has flown across the English Channel and over the Swiss Alps successfully using his home-built “jet wing”. Last year he attempted flying from Morocco to Spain only to be foiled by high wind speeds on the Strait of Gibraltar.
Yesterday, in an act that makes my Friday seem even more mundane, Rossy jumped from a hot air balloon 7800 feet in the air with his jet wing attached. The jet wing weighs 121 lbs. when fully fueled and features four kerosene burning jet turbines. It has no steering mechanism and relies entirely on Rossy’s body movements for steering.
The Rocket Man did two full loops at approximately 200mph with the jet wing before landing successfully, setting a world record and proving himself to be pretty much fearless. What’s next for Yves Rossy? He hopes his next flight takes him through the Grand Canyon.