Dubai: Ever wondered if it was possible for anyone to fly over Dubai’s skyline just like an eagle or any other bird in the sky?
It’s time to stop wondering and start believing that a former Swiss fighter pilot, the first man in history to fly using a 55kg custom-built suit strapped to his back, has made it possible to fly up to a height of 4,000 metres for 10 minutes over Dubai’s skyline with a speed of 260km/h.
His jet-powered project has given him wings, just like a bird, and has enabled him to see the world from a completely different view.
“I have always dreamt of flying for as far as I can remember,” said 55-year-old Yves Rossy. “I did an apprenticeship in engineering after which I joined the Swiss Air Force flying fighter jets. The thrill you get flying an aircraft at that speed was absolutely unreal. I then turned to commercial piloting for Swiss Air before I started work on my project,” he told Gulf News.
Rossy, who is a professional pilot and skydiver, now based in Dubai, said that one day the idea of soaring in the sky longer than usual without deploying a parachute struck his mind, and then, following a few experiments in his garage for over 20 years. he came up with a two metre wide carbon fibre wing powered by four Jetcat P200 engines.
“I actually got the idea for ‘Jetman’ when I was skydiving. Floating through the air with nothing but a backpack strapped to my back was the closest I had ever felt to actually flying, but I was really disappointed that it didn’t last very long as you have to deploy a parachute after 35 to 40 seconds. It was then that I decided that I wanted to develop wings that would help me achieve my dream of sustained flight,” he said.
Describing his magical gear and the way it works, he said that he first has to get on a helicopter and then the adventure begins.
“I travel with my gear up to a height of 1,500 metres in a helicopter and jump out. I have a small controller attached to my palm which allows me to control my thrust. I land like a parachutist — by deploying my parachute which is strapped to my back.”
In cases of an emergency, which has never happened, he believes he can deploy the wings from his back, which have a parachute on them, and then he can use his parachute to land safely.
“I’ve been trained to manage such situations and ensure my safety at all times in the air.”
Rossy believes in the advancement of his gear. Since he still cannot take off from the ground and has the ultimate dream of doing so, he decided to work on making this happen along with his team.
“Having made Dubai my home, I have been very fortunate to work with some really great local partners such as XDubai [an entity aiming to promote action sports in Dubai] who help me train and support my project.”
In an announcement on Monday at Burj Khalifa, he introduced his protégé, Vince Reffet, who will become the only second person in the world to earn the distinction of flying with the innovative Jetman wing following five years of training by Rossy.
The adventurous duo also announced the completion of another first — a twin human formation flight — a historic moment for Jetman Dubai and for aviation globally. Rossy and Reffet both flew together over landmarks in Dubai and will further develop the sport and gear together.
Rossy has flown over the Grand Canyon, Mount Fuji, Rio de Janeiro, the Swiss Alps and now he will continue his adventure flying over Dubai.
