A SWISS ADVENTURER known as ‘Jetman’ for his daredevil jetpack flights has succeeded in his plan to fly above the Grand Canyon in the US.
Yves Rossy, 51, used a custom-built jetpack and suit to stay in the air some 60 metres above the canyon rim for over eight minutes, before deploying his parachute and landing on the canon floor.
Rossy was due to fly on Friday, but cancelled because he thought it too challenging to undertake without practice runs. He managed to make the flight the following day.
Confirming the flight yesterday, Rossy’s sponsor, Swiss watchmaker Breitling, described it as a “flawless precision flight” and said Rossy had reached speeds of up to 190mph (306km per hour) while in the air.
Rossy has flown across the English Channel using his special jet-powered wing, but had to abort a flight from Morroco to southern Spain in 2009 due to unfavourable weather conditions.
- Additional reporting by the AP
