ELTON John didn’t see this one coming . . .
Real life “Rocket Man” Yves Rossy, 48, is planning a high-flying rocket mission over the English Channel that will be televised on American TV and around the world.
The daring stunt will air on the National Geographic Channel in primetime – as well as 165 other countries, officials said yesterday. They will also stream live video of the event on their Web site.
The “Rocket Man” dedicated the flight stating: “My flight will be a tribute to all those who came before me, many of whom were killed.”
Rossy, a Swiss airline pilot, spent four years building his 8-foot jet-powered contraption, which has four small engines attached to a carbon wing and is operated by a lever that controls the fuel. He already holds the record for being the first man to fly using a jet engine-powered wing.
Last week the “Rocket Man” completed a 10-minute test flight over 22 miles – roughly the distance of flying over Manhattan end to end twice.
For the test flight, which was postponed numerous times due to engine problems, Rossy jumped out of a small plane at 7,500 feet and traveled at 180mph using his rocket wing. He wore a heat-resistant suit – much like the ones worn by race-car drivers.
He used parachutes to land at an airfield near the town of Bex, Switzerland, where the test flight took place.
“Everything went well. It was awesome. It’s my longest flight with this wing,” Yves said after the trip. “If there are no technical problems, it’s okay for the English Channel.”
Three years ago, Rossy lost control during an experimental flight and plummeted to a mere 1,600 feet above the ground before opening his parachute.
Yves “Rocket Man” Rossy is expected to attempt his English Channel crossing on September 24th.