10.05.2011

JETMAN TRIUMPHS OVER THE GRAND CANYON

BREITLING’S "JETMAN" TRIUMPHS OVER THE GRAND CANYON

Yves "Jetman" Rossy – the world’s first jet-engine powered man – has achieved an historical feat by making his first U.S flight within the spectacular setting of the famous Grand Canyon.

Flying his jet-propelled wing attached to his back, Yves Rossy went airborne above Arizona by jumping from a helicopter flying at an altitude of 8,200 feet (2,500 m). Using only his body movements to adjust his flight path and altitude, he soared over the legendary rocky scenery at speeds of up to 190 mph (300 km/h), flying for over eight minutes along the rim of the Grand Canyon West. The high-precision flight ended with a successful parachute opening and a smooth landing on the floor of the Colorado canyon. This new major accomplishment earns Yves "Jetman" Rossy yet another place in the aeronautical history books, after others including following in Blériot’s slipstream with a channel crossing in 2008. By associating with this modern-day airborne pioneer, Breitling is once again illustrating its close and authentic ties with the world of aviation and with all the finest hours in the conquest of the skies.