Yves Rossy To Make Attempt Later This Month

Within the next three weeks, Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy hopes to soar into the record books at the first man to attempt to fly across the English Channel using a single, jet-propelled wing attached to his back.

Rossy will fire up his homemade jet wing, jump from a plane and attempt to cross the 23-mile channel in 12 minutes at about 120 mph. Rossy is scheduled to make his attempt Wednesday, September 24, subject to weather conditions... with a daily contingency window through Friday, September 26.

The National Geographic Channel (NGC) announced this week it has exclusive US access to the historic flight, and will stream Rossy's mission live at www.natgeotv.com/jetman, as well as broadcast a special one-hour program that same night. Internationally, the event will air in 167 countries (excluding France, Switzerland and Canada) on NGC and its Web site.

'Flight of the Jet Man' will cover every angle of this historic chapter in aviation history, beginning on the ground in France as Rossy reviews safety measures just before takeoff -- especially important, as his jet-propelled wing needs to be ignited while still inside the plane -- and following as he attempts to touch down in England and enter the annals of history. Cameras in his launch plane and on a helicopter will be supplemented by another mounted on the jetpack wing to capture dramatic aerial coverage throughout the flight.

Rossy -- who refers to himself to as "Fusion Man," because he represents a true fusion between pilot and plane -- will jump from a plane almost 2 miles above the ground and soar at speeds reaching approximately 120 mph using a specialized wing weighing about 120 pounds, including four kerosene-burning jet turbines. Created from a lightweight carbon composite, the wing has no steering devices; Rossy uses his head and back to control his movements.

The adventurer will take a route mirroring that of French pioneer Louis Bleriot, who dared to be the first to cross the English Channel in an airplane 99 years ago.

"I have enormous admiration for the pioneers of aviation," says Rossy. "There is great beauty in the exploits of Bleriot and Lindbergh, for example. They risked their lives to discover the path not taken, to go where no one has gone before."

FMI: www.natgeotv.com/jetman