Amazing Video: 'Jetman' Yves Rossy Makes First U.S. Flight, Cruising Above the Grand Canyon at 190 MPH

Congratulations Yves Rossy! I'm hoping to generate more excitement for you as I can't believe I'm the only one to comment here. I mean, you flew a jet pack OVER the Grand Canyon! What do people have to do these days to impress people? When Snookie passes gas it gets at least 4,000 comments. But I don't see her successfully flying across one of the wonders of the world like a graceful falcon...

From somebody who's tinkered with the idea of jet propulsion for years, you are a true inspiration. I can't tell you how many times I've assembled lawn mower parts, old kites and jumped off my roof to find myself on the ground in pain. But you know who helped me get back up and try it again and again? You good sir. Actually I've had to stop trying after some serious discussions with my doctors, wife and neighbors but that isn't about me. You did it.

THIS GUY FLEW OVER THE GRAND CANYON ON A JET PACK PEOPLE! What part of "jet pack over Grand Canyon" did you not hear? Let's hear some chatter on this one. Great coverage Clay!

When he does more than GLIDE over the grand canyon, let me know. I for one would like to see land to flight take off and landing. The only thing "jet" about this is the jets he has strapped to his back, not flight, powered gliding, sorry, it's really not THAT big of a deal.

@ lifeisamitch HAHAHAHAHA--lol, listen to yourself-- I can't tell you how many times I've assembled lawn mower parts, old kites and jumped off my roof to find myself on the ground in pain. Actually I've had to stop trying after some serious discussions with my doctors, wife and neighbors but that isn't about me.

Was interesting but not a jet pack it was a glider.

Yes, it is a glider with some jets strapped to it but nevertheless it is still impressive. Although Rossey would be so much more interesting if he would wear a brass helmet with the control rudder on the top of it not unlike the Rocketeer.

Now its time to Buzz the tower Yves!

Guys, I believe you're talking rubbish :)

Some guys do loopings with a glider, but not with such speed... check out other vids, for instance jetman & loops on youtube.

cool. but ive seen it before. navy seals have been using a stealth version of this for years now.

Snooki's gas hasn't the specific impulse that would allow a comparable canyon flight path.

I watched this expecting a proper take off and landing. Pretty disappointing.

brubir - But Snooki's gas-passing is powerful enough to lift Her Rotundness and two companions approximately 9.8 feet into the air. And she can sustain it long enough to bring them back safely to the Earth.

Cool, the first human installment of Superman -- able to leap tall building with a single bound. Now put a super-skeleton on him and enlist him into the special forces.

Ron Bennett

f#cking trolls, this is serious stuff, you idiots ever even tried gliding? show a little patients, maybe one day he will take off from the ground and land

oops patience

In response to JediMindset:

BS!...Care to cite a reference? a rumor?

The reason wasn't bureaucratic but instead was a lack of practice/preparation.

"I was not ready. It would be unsafe and disrespectful to my team and everybody here to present something not well prepared"

It was still very impressive.

That's the funniest thing ever. About a week or so ago, I commented on something about this and I said something about the Grand Canyon and well, here is a video of it!

wow, amazing, you read it here http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-04/first-us-flight-jetman-will-fly-through-grand-canyon
then commented on it and it magicaly appeared here, you normally post more resonable stuff so have you been drinking? smoking some herb?

No, I don't smoke/drink lol. :D

this is a very cool feat indeed, but I dont see it going to much farther than it is. Its like the self powered helicopter. Its AMAZING that we can build these things, but they will never really get used. but they have zero application.
The only way I could see this getting use is some Spec Ops drop, but they can drop your from a airplane just fine. no need to glide anywhere.
still. very cool. to think we landed on the moon 50 years before we had a (flying.. not hovering) jet pack man on earth.
some science pushes practical life froward, some is simply a testament to what man can do and this one should not be belittled.

Why so many negative comments? He proves that the concept works. I do think that they are many people willing to do this as a sport as it adds new fun to parachute jumps. In fact it is a new category altogether.

really? just a glider with jets?
Stealth fighters, I am so dissapoint. You are nothing but gliders with jets attached... F-15s you too. How dare you pose as a jet. I don't think you can classify it as a glider if it won't stay airborne without some form of propulsion... gdamn science trolls are worse than spam.

Before his feat over the Grand Canyon, on September 26, 2008, Yves Rossy crossed the English Channel in his fixed wing jet pack in 13 minutes -- not just your granddaddy's leisurely glide. He controls his flight by shifting his weight, like a bird. Some may *argue* that all he's doing is gliding. Well, maybe so. But he's gliding at speeds topping out at about 125 MPH. Soak in that for a while and think about how that would feel. (Here's a hint: Awesome!)

190 mph is fn' crazy, what a guy! he must have balls the size of...

@ExistentialThreat
Why are you blaming the F-15 for being a glider? It's nothing close to a glider. Does it look unappealing to you or something? I mean it has a 20mm Gatling gun and missiles that'll take anything out of its way. Does that sound like a glider to you? And what's wrong with stealth fighters? You probably mean the F-22 and F-35. Look, a lot of people are negative about those two aircraft, but they haven't proven themselves yet. Most people are negative about the F-35 because it can't turn, dive, run and climb, but it has one thing that other aircraft don't have. The VTOL capability, in other words, it hovers. The harrier can hover and if it engages the hover in a dogfight, the chasing aircraft flies right by and the hunter becomes the hunted. The F-35 can do the same. As for the F-22, it has thrust vectoring AND normal control surfaces that enable it to have tremendous manueverability. But it isn't about the plane, it's about the pilot. I swear, an experienced pilot in an F-86 could probably take down a rookie in an F-16. And do the looks affect anything? No, the A-10 is ugly as hell, but it can lose 2/3 of a wing, an engine, and the tail and it can still come back home. You can judge all you want on something that's ugly, strange, whatever, and it'll do what it's supposed to, proving its usefulness. All people like you prove is how much time they waste on commenting on things like this. Don't bother commenting back. You'll only waste more time.

Navy1270, he's bagging on me for calling this simply a powered glider. He's trying to say that an aircraft that is 100% flight capable without needing to be launched from altitude in order to initate and sustain flight are nothing more than "powered gliders" as well. I'm an Air Force Vet myself. There is a MASSIVE difference between true jet flight (land based take off, true lift, etc) and a powered glider that never reaches an altitude higher than it's starting altitude thus lacking any real true powered lift.

When this guy can stand on the tarmac, initate flight, climb, cruise and land, then and ONLY then will it be true "jet pack" flight in my eyes.

Oppose my views if you like. I did after all fight for your Consititutional right to do so...

@CodeZero
Oops, if I had known he was talking to you then I wouldn't have gotten into it. It's only natural for me to oppose someones views because I disagree, and no I don't oppose your views since you say it in a way that doesn't offend me.

@Navy1270, the opposition comment wasn't directed at you. People on this site tend to confuse opposition of opinion and healthy debate with "trolling" which if they looked up what "trolling" was, they would know it was directedly negative comments used in order to spark a response in someone. I guess I've been using the internet too long, terms keep changing. I remember logging into local networks (IRC's) long before the internet was available using dialback servers to connect our monochrome "word processors" lol

Well "trolling" is seems can apply to just about any comment these days (even on the IRC servers I frequent). It also seems accusing the OP of being a troll is now often used to elevate ones status during debate (observed frequently during those tired science vs. religion threads here). Damn it! Am I trolling?

Anyway I agree with you on the "powered glider point"

By definition a glider is not powered by any engine or motor. Does this jet pack have full flight capabilities? No, but at 190mph it's much more than just a glider. I'm pretty sure if the "pilot" shifted his weight back a little this would result in a climb, although some airspeed would be lost as a result.

congratulation to mr "jetman" guys do u know about Rossy and Rossi? In the world of high speeds, Yves 'The Jetman' Rossy can certainly keep up with Valentino 'The Doctor' Rossi. The man seems to have accomplished the impossible...!

http://airsoc.com/articles/view/id/4f4baa89c6f8fa092f000006/rossy-vs-rossi-it-s-the-jetman-against-the-doctor?ev=10&evp=tl