Jet-Propelled 'Fusion Man' to Attempt New Record-Breaking Flight
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The pilot known as 'jetman' is confident he will make aviation history once again Wednesday.
Yves Rossy is hoping to become the first person to make an intercontinental flight with a jet pack by crossing the Straits of Gibraltar.
The Swiss airline pilot and aviation inventor told a news conference: "It's going to be historic" before adding "no one has ever done this before."
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Rossy will launch his record attempt from the skies above Tangier in Morocco.
He will start by jumping out of a light airplane when it reaches a height 6,500 feet above the ground.
Once airborne he will unleash his wings and fire up his engines.
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He hopes to land safely on a beach in southern Spain about 15 minutes later.
The wing itself — which was designed by Rossy — is made of carbon fiber.
With fuel it weighs around 132 pounds, and because of the dangers involved, he wears a flame retardant suit.
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When flying, Rossy looks like a comic book hero with the contraption propelling him at a speed of more than 180 mph.
He will be followed throughout the attempt by a team of paramedics in a helicopter.
They are on hand should anything go wrong in the skies above the turbulent waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
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Rossey has made a number of successful record-breaking attempts in the past.
Last year, he flew from Calais to Dover crossing the English Channel.