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Breitling’s “Jetman” Makes Historic Flight At
Grand Canyon West By Mike Mitchell |
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May 11, 2011 - It was his date with destiny, and
ultimately the uniquely complex certification process
could not prevent Yves “Jetman” Rossy from making his
historic flight through Grand Canyon West this past
weekend.
Flying his jet-propelled wing attached to his back, and
steering only by movement of his body, Rossy launched
from a helicopter at 8,000 feet into the breathtaking
blue of the Grand Canyon sky.
Skimming the rockscape at speeds of up to 190 mph,
Jetman sustained flight for more than eight minutes, 200
feet above the rim of Grand Canyon West. To end the
flawless precision flight, Rossy deployed his parachute
and gracefully descended to the canyon floor.
An earlier flight scheduled for Friday, May 6 was cancelled when final FAA certification was held up due to the difficulty in classifying Mr. Rossy’s one of a kind jet powered wing. By the time the process was complete, sufficient practice flights were unable to occur prior to the scheduled 9 a.m. flight. |
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“My first flight in the U.S. is sure to be one of the most
memorable experiences in my life, not only for the sheer beauty
of the Grand Canyon but the honor to fly in sacred Native
American lands,” Rossy stated. “Thank you Mother Nature and the
Hualapai Tribe for making my lifelong dreams come true.”
Jetman has already won global acclaim for his successful
jet-powered flights cross Lake Geneva and the English Channel.
But this was the first time he had ever achieved his dream of
flying in the purest sense in the U.S. and his choice of the
Grand Canyon, where eagles soar, reflected the deep significance
of the site both to Rossy and to the resident Hualapai people.
According to Ben Balmer, of Breitling, “The power, passion and
precision of flight inspire all of us at Breitling, and we are
delighted to help Yves Rossy to achieve his dream of pure flight
at Grand Canyon West. Yves is a true pioneer and a wonderful
ambassador for Breitling’s values.”
Léon Breitling founded the company in 1884 in St. Imier, Switzerland. Breitling has long been associated with the world of aviation when they placed onboard chronographs in fighter planes from the Royal Air Force WWII to sponsoring the first round-the-world balloon flight in 1999. |
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