Jet Power Piloting a wingsuit was not exciting enough for Swiss aviator Yves Rossy. He wanted more control during his fl ight. To achieve that, he needed thrust as well as liſt . T rust is a force that pushes an object forward. It would let him fl y and not just glide. Rossy started experimenting with the idea of
a wing-like structure to wear on his back. T en he added jet engines. Ten years later, amazed observers say Rossy
fl ies with the grace of an eagle and the skill of a hawk. His wing is made from Kevlar
and carbon fi ber, two very light but strong materials. His invention gives him a two-meter wingspan. T at’s about the size of the wings of a golden eagle. T e wing, its engines, and fuel weigh 55 kilograms. To launch, Rossy stands backward on a
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platform in the back of the plane. When he’s a couple thousand meters or so above the ground, he starts the engines. T en he falls backward into the open sky.
Fast Flight Once his engines start, Rossy has about ten minutes of fl ying time. He’s limited by the amount of fuel he can carry. First he turns over and dives straight down, keeping his body straight. Like a bird, he uses his body to steer the wing. To stop his dive, Rossy raises his head and
arches his back. T is shiſt s the airfl ow over his wing. T e air moves faster over the top of the wing, which reduces the air pressure. So the wing moves upward using the force of liſt . Now he can relax his back to move straight and level. If he wants to turn or roll, he twists his shoulders. Only Rossy’s partner, Vince Reff et, knows how to fl y like Rossy. Rossy uses a timer to measure his fl ight
time and a meter to show how high he is. With about 15 seconds of fuel remaining, he stops his engines and opens his parachute. In an emergency, he can cut his wing loose. But the wing isn’t lost. It has its own parachute!
14 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER
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