May 10, 2011 – Grand Canyon, USA – An amazing feat was accomplished today, as Breitling-sponsored “Jetman” Yves Rossy flew above the Grand Canyon for eight minutes with a jet-propelled wing attached to his back.  Rossy, whose many jetpack aerial exploits have amazed the world, today launched from a helicopter positioned 8,000 feet above the Grand Canyon, quickly reaching top speeds of 190 mph.  Always a showman, Rossy ended the historic flight with a graceful parachute-descent to the Grand Canyon floor.  Rossy went on the record, saying “My first flight in the U.S. is sure to be one of the most memorable experiences in my life, not only for the sheer beauty of the Grand Canyon but the honor to fly in sacred Native American lands.  Thank you Mother Nature and the Hualapai Tribe for making my lifelong dreams come true.”

I’ve got the video highlights of the Jetman in action, right here….

‘Jetman’ Yves Rossy Flies the Grand Canyon (VIDEO)

Rossy’s jetwing is steered only with his body, while four small jet motors provide him with enough speed and lift to sustain flight, eight minutes in this particular event.  Jetman has already won a global acclaim for his successful jet-powered flights across Lake Geneva and the English Channel (sponsored by Hublot at the time), among other feats.

‘Jetman’ Yves Rossy Flies the Grand Canyon

Photo:  Popular Science.

An interesting side note, the often logic-defying bureacracy that is the U.S. Government almost derailed the Jetman’s historic flight — the Federal Aviation Administration, presumably flummoxed by the free and entrepreneurial spirit of the Jetman and his first-of-its-kind jetwing, delayed Rossy’s initial flight attempt because it could not figure out how to classify the jetwing.   The Jetman was undeterred, though, and the flight was eventually “FAA approved”, whereupon it went off without a hitch.

Photo:  Jetman.com

Congratulations to the Jetman and Breitling on this awesome achievement!