Jetpacks Over Dubai Video Wows Viewers: Two Daredevils Fly Next To World’s Largest Passenger Aircraft
The so-called “jetpacks over Dubai” video is quickly taking the internet by storm, and the incredible footage is leaving those who watch it in absolute amazement. In the video, experienced jetpack pilots Vince Reffet and Yves Rossy achieve one of the greatest feats in recent history. Rossy and his protégé can be seen flying over the skies of Dubai next to an Emirates A380 jumbo jet, the world’s largest passenger aircraft. As reported by UPI, the two daredevils performed “a carefully choreographed aerial showcase” around the huge plane.
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The Swiss pilot, inventor, and aviation enthusiast Yves Rossy, has been nicknamed “Jetman.” Rossy has been involved in several stunts where he flies with a jetpack. According to the Verge, he’s flown next to a B17 bomber, soared over the Grand Canyon, and he also previously flew over the skies of Dubai just for the thrill of it.
Rossy’s jet engine-powered wings have taken him over some of the world’s most awe-inspiring places. According to the Telegraph, Rossy designed and built his own Jetman system — a backpack with carbon-fiber wings weighing about 120 pounds and measuring about two meters. The jetpack is powered by four attached jet engines modified from large model aircraft engines, and it can reach speeds of 185 miles per hour.
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Although he’s flown over Japan’s Mount Fuji and even crossed the English Channel, Rossy apparently knows no limits because, along with parachutist Vince Reffet, he has achieved another incredible feat. Rossy, who once piloted fighter jets and passenger jets, said a lot of planning went into the now-viral video. Reportedly, it took him and his team three months to “diligently plan and coordinate every detail of this project.”
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The video — which, as of the time of this writing, has racked up over half a million views on YouTube in less than 24 hours — was created in association with the airline Emirates and aims to promote the countries of UAE and flaunt the rising power of the region. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country which consists of a federation of seven emirates. The constituent emirates are Abu Dhabi (which serves as the capital), Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Quwain.
For centuries, one of the dreams of man has been to fly like a bird. Now, this can be done, and Rossy is living proof of this. Speaking with NPR earlier this year, Jetman said he has been trying to fly like a superhero for more than two decades.
“It’s kind of unreal because normally, as a human, you fall. So it’s a very good feeling. You are like in a parallel world that normally doesn’t exist. It’s beautiful,” he said.
He also explained that when he flies, he goes up 7,000 feet in a helicopter and jumps out.
“First, you fall like a stone and as you are getting speed this element — air — becomes more and more consistent, like water,” the 56-year-old explained. “If you compare to a bird, the bird needs to train for weeks so that he becomes strong with his wings, and it’s the same for us. You have to train a lot.”
Watch two crazy people fly jetpacks over Dubai in 4K http://t.co/nK9hYp3fko pic.twitter.com/0XBewdaUKV
— The Verge (@verge) May 11, 2015
According to Forbes, in previous years, Rossy has used 15 different prototypes of the jetpack, with varying shapes, profiles, and sizes. Most of his flights last 15 minutes and cover up to 35 miles. The publication wrote that Yves and Vince’s flights over Dubai will help them further develop the Jetman wing and implement technological changes to advance their dream for human flight. Jetman Dubai has already started development of its next generation wing.
[Image via YouTube screenshot]
