September 26, 2023: Fifteen years ago, on September 26, 2008, Yves Rossy became the first person to cross the English Channel using a jet-powered wing — a type of jetpack.
He made the 22-mile-long (19 nautical mile) trip from the skies over France to England in 13 minutes, reaching top speeds of 120 mph during the trip. He began the flight by jumping from a plane at 8,200 feet in the air.
Rossy and his team built the Wingjet system that he used for this flight for $190,000. It weighs 120 pounds and has a 7.9-foot wingspan. Its 4 Jetcat P400 engines can propel the pilot to speeds as fast as 189 mph.
He has since made more than 30 powered flights.
Scott Rasmussen is founder and president of the Rasmussen Media Group. He is a political analyst, author, public speaker, independent public opinion pollster and columnist for Creators Syndicate. Read Scott Rasmussen's Reports — More Here.