This could make the morning commute interesting

[CJones]

Yves Rossy prepares for Cross-Channel flight – without a plane

Later this week FusionMan Yves Rossy will attempt the first solo jet-propelled flight across the English channel.

 

[tonycondon]

wow, what a rush that would be

 

[ScottM]

how many balloons?

 

[silver-eagle]

And he made it... 4 small jet engines wrapped in kevlar.

http://aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=e0848bde-5f5a-4d6c-ae99-478851432952&

He needs to get the launch done from the front lawn rather than an aircraft at 10,000 feet.

 

[Trapper John]

And he made it... 4 small jet engines wrapped in kevlar.

http://aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=e0848bde-5f5a-4d6c-ae99-478851432952&

He needs to get the launch done from the front lawn rather than an aircraft at 10,000 feet.

Maybe he could get a pair of those Acme Wiley Coyote jet powered skates for the takeoff!


Trapper John

 

[fgcason]

Maybe he could get a pair of those Acme Wiley Coyote jet powered skates for the takeoff!

I think he quit watching the Road Runner series too early since he's flying Wile's hardware. If he had finished the series, he would know that he could jump off the cliffs of Dover and fly back across the channel.
The skates are obligatory.

The moment I saw a picture of him crossing the channel, I instantly had a totally clear full color image in my head of Wile E Coyote diving off the cliff and pulling out at the bottom mere inches above the jagged rocks. The only question was whether he was going to face plant into the cliffs on the other side of the channel. The similarities between his contraption and Wile's flying suit are just too much for coincidence. I bet he's used the classic phrase "I saw it in a cartoon once and had to give it a try" to explain his hobby to others.

 

[mikea]

I think he quit watching the Road Runner series too early since he's flying Wile's hardware. If he had finished the series, he would know that he could jump off the cliffs of Dover and fly back across the channel.
The skates are obligatory.

The moment I saw a picture of him crossing the channel, I instantly had a totally clear full color image in my head of Wile E Coyote diving off the cliff and pulling out at the bottom mere inches above the jagged rocks. The only question was whether he was going to face plant into the cliffs on the other side of the channel. The similarities between his contraption and Wile's flying suit are just too much for coincidence. I bet he's used the classic phrase "I saw it in a cartoon once and had to give it a try" to explain his hobby to others.

You forget Wile E's ACME Batman Outfit.

He flew like a bird, unpowered...for a while.

 

[fgcason]

You forget Wile E's ACME Batman Outfit.

He flew like a bird, unpowered...for a while.

I most certainly did not forget. That was the same exact suit that popped into my head. Between that and a few other classic things, you have mr batman the channel flier.


Thanks for the link. I'll be up for hours poking through it.
Did you ever see the Wile E Coyote vs ACME lawsuit from the late 1980's?

 

[mikea]

I most certainly did not forget. That was the same exact suit that popped into my head. Between that and a few other classic things, you have mr batman the channel flier.


Thanks for the link. I'll be up for hours poking through it.
Did you ever see the Wile E Coyote vs ACME lawsuit from the late 1980's?

Yeah. There are several I found when I googled. There's an official academic cite page of some kind.

Looking around the ACME products site made we want to watch a few right away. I should get some DVDs for stress relief or TiVo some.

I always thought the Road Runner cartoons and others would make for the basis of a great college Physics course.

You know. You can freeze in midair until you look down at which point the acceleration becomes mG^2...

 

[Matthew]

If I remember, one of the rules of cartoon flying is that you don't look down. As soon as you do, all forward motion stops. Then there is a slight pause, then your neck stretches as everything except your head falls, and finally your head catches up to the rest of your body.

I did watch that Channel crossing on TV, pretty neat, and the first thing I thought when I saw him was "To infinity and beyond!"

 

[mikea]

If I remember, one of the rules of cartoon flying is that you don't look down. As soon as you do, all forward motion stops. Then there is a slight pause, then your neck stretches as everything except your head falls, and finally your head catches up to the rest of your body...

Unless you're a dog and you paddle madly at the air with all four paws until you're safely back on the ledge.