Swiss Man Flies With Jet Powered Wing

NotBornYesterday writes "After spending $190,000 and 'countless hours' building a set of jet-powered wings, a Swiss man has successfully demoed this ultimate mother-of-all-toys. After jumping from a plane like a skydiver, he then lit the four jet engines and proceeded to fly around a valley in the Alps at up to 186 miles per hour. His site is here, if you want to see shots of him in action. 'I still haven't used the full potential,' he said."

Well...

[BlueStrat]

I for one welcome our new jet-winged Swiss overlord.

Cheers!

Strat

FP?

Just don't get too close to the sun

[Anonymous Coward]

This ought to be fun. Might even turn into a sport or extreme recreational activity. But just remember what happened to the last person who got too close the sun ...

Re:Well...

[phyruxus]

I hear the Brits developed this technology in the mid-80's, but abandoned it when they could not find a way to make it leak oil.

With apologies to britons and MG lovers everywhere.

Jetpack!

[vecctor]

This is the one time where people could legitimately use the term "jetpack" and then the submitter and TFA choose not to!

Looks very cool.

Wait... what?

[Anonymous Coward]

"The German-built model aircraft engines he currently uses already provide 200 pounds of thrust, enough to allow Rossy and his 120-pound flying suit to climb through the air."

So... he weighs less than 80 pounds?

Re:Wait... what?

[jd]

Well, that depends on the exchange rate at the time.

Re:That's all very interesting

[mrbluze]

but can he get a first post?

Well he would be getting frosty piss at that height.

But I want to know if he can run.. err.. fly.. Linux!

Re:Wait... what?

[countSudoku()]

It says he's using four engines there in the summary. That's 8,000,000,000lbs of thrust by my calculations! ;)

Famous last words...

[HydraSwitch]

'I still haven't used the full potential,' he said.

Feh.

Definitely famous last words.

misread it

[B3ryllium]

I initially misread it as "Jet Powered Wang".

Making Sense

[Nom du Keyboard]

at up to 186 miles per hour.

I gather that this number makes some sense in metric.

Re:misread it

[geekoid]

I'll take two.

The slashdot zeitgeist.

[argent]

Man, you just don't get the slashdot zeitgeist. Old news is an essential part of the whole experience.

PS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fLOgMQon7c [youtube.com]

How does he land?

[Nick Driver]

Well... very carefully of course.

Re:Wait... what?

[speculatrix]

you really gotta stop using that old Intel Pentium for your math!

Re:It is pretty old

[Anonymous Coward]

Parachutes and paragliders tend to be unpredictable and are not particularly safe, doubly so at speeds exceeding sound

Please mod up +1 informative. I had no idea that parachutes and paragliders were unsafe when flown at 770 mph.

Re:Darwin awards

[somersault]

The problem being that the windchill permanently damaged his balls, so that scuppers that plan!

Okay, okay, so I'm just kidding - I know not the actual condition of his balls.

Re:Landing?

[rrohbeck]

With a parachute.

Even though you'd think a pair of rollerblades should be sufficient.

Re:It is pretty old

[binarybum]

I do. Have you flown on commercial aircraft recently? I'd rather get tugged behind jet-man on a rope.

Re:Wait... what?

[Yvan256]

You work for the RIAA/MPAA, right?

Re:Landing?

[Yvan256]

I don't know how, but he only does it once.

Uh oh

[Ihmhi]

Hobgoblin in 3... 2...

Acme Jet Powered Wings

[schmoe.joey]

I think this concept was proven fatally wrong by Mr. Wiley Coyote while hunting RoadRunners...

Re:Wait... what?

[beav007]

It's either that or Excel 2007...

Re:Landing?

[grassy_knoll]

Wiley Coyote [wikipedia.org], is that you?

ACME Jet Powered Wing Pack

[catdevnull]

Didn't I see Wyle E. Coyote with one of these?

If the Swiss man flew this into a mountain side with a tunnel painted on it, I wouldn't be surprised at all.

Re:OFN?

[at_slashdot]

That's nothing, I'm pretty sure that I've seen Wile E. Coyote using such a product designed by Acme long time ago...

Re:Well...

[ozbird]

That's not an oil leak - it's rust-proofing.

Re:OFN?

[4D6963]

Oh that gives me an idea! What about we give bombs small wings and jet engines so they could reach from like 20 miles away a target much faster than a plane!? I propose we call these new type of jet-powered bombs "missiles".

Re:OFN?

[MrMr]

If I were considering dropping large mammals from a bigger plane I would not use a seal but I'd use a sperm whale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsK6aRuSBIc [youtube.com]

or a bowl of petunias.

Re:OFN?

[Hal_Porter]

They'd be quite stealthy due to their size and low altitude, but they don't need to be. Sheer numbers would overwhelm enemy air defenses.

Hey, I've just realised that this strategy would be the US Zerg Rushing China or North Korea. Oh the irony.

Re:OFN?

[stoofa]

Swiss Man Flies With Jet Powered Wing?

Swiss Man Flies WITHOUT Jet Powered Wing.

Now THAT is a story.

Re:OFN?

[rarel]

Oh no, not again...

Re:The slashdot zeitgeist.

[argent]

I liked his "fuel tanks", too. Puncture one of those in flight, have your jet fuel soaking down your leg from a bladder belted to your belly towards a running jet engine strapped to your foot... great balls of fire!

Re:The slashdot zeitgeist.

[Missing_dc]

I understand the sado and the necro bit, but why are you dragging bestiality into it?

Would not the correct term be "Equine Necrosadism"?

At no point in beating a dead horse should your zipper drop.

sicko.

Re:The slashdot zeitgeist.

[argent]

At no point in beating a dead horse should your zipper drop.

Slashdot would be a kinder and gentler place if more people kept that in mind.