Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy has become the first man to fly across the English Channel from Calais to Dover using a single homemade jet-powered wing, covering a distance of 35 kilometres in 13 minutes. Rossy successfully completed the challenge at 1:19pm today.
Tracing the route of French aviator Louis Blériot, who became the first person to fly across the English Channel in an airplane 99 years ago, Rossy began his journey at Calais Airport, transported in a plane to nearly 2,500 metres, where he started the four engines attached to the wing. At 1.06pm, Yves jumped out the plane above Calais, and began his flight towards Dover.
Having postponed the challenge from yesterday due to bad weather, he reached the South Foreland Lighthouse on the White Cliffs of Dover in 13 minutes, covering the 35 kilometre trip at an average speed of 200 kilometres per hour. Rossy completed his flight by deploying a parachute and landing safely on the cliffs.
Speaking of his historic feat, Yves said: "So many people were with me on that flight, I want to say thank you...everything was perfect. I show that it is possible to fly a little bit like a bird."
The flight has taken place after months of preparation and numerous test flights, only one of which lasted longer than eight minutes. Yves conducted a wind tunnel test and identified ways to add more fuel and develop a better engine ignition system, helping to make this challenge to cross the English Channel possible.
The flight across the Channel was broadcast live by National Geographic Channel in 164 countries, and was also streamed live over the internet.
Rossy's next challenge is to fly over the Grand Canyon.
