Swiss adventurer flies 'like a bird' across English Channel

Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy has flown into the history books by crossing from France to Britain on only a jet-powered wing, describing afterwards how he felt "like a bird" over the English Channel.

A Swiss adventurer flew into the history books Friday by crossing from France to Britain on only a jet-powered wing, describing afterwards how he felt "like a bird" over the English Channel.

Yves Rossy, 49, touched down in a field on top of the white cliffs of Dover after completing the 35-kilometre (22-mile) journey over one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

"I have proved it is possible to fly like a bird," he said with a big grin, adding: "My aim (was) to realize the dream. You have an idea in your head, and to actually achieve it is the most gratifying thing you can do."

Asked how he felt, he joked: "It's a mixture of ecstasy and trying to stay concentrated -- because I was thinking, the water is pretty cold down there."

With the carbon wing strapped to his back, Rossy had leapt out of a small plane at an altitude of 2,500 metres over the French coast before jetting off at speeds of more than 200 kilometres per hour.

Against a backdrop of picture-perfect blue skies, he ended his adventure around ten minutes later by cutting his engines and deploying a green and blue parachute at an altitude of some 1,500 metres over the English coast.

After landing in a ploughed field, the daredevil was visibly thrilled as he was helped out of the wing structure into which he had been strapped for the flight.

"It was great. I feel a lot more calm now than before the flight. It was perfect conditions," he said, after being mobbed by journalists who peppered him with questions.

Rossy had never flown for longer than ten minutes and had to calibrate his equipment and weight to perfection since even the addition of a few hundred grammes would have affected his flying ability.

His trip was broadcast live by two light aircraft and two helicopters which flew alongside him across the channel.

Although it appeared perfect, in fact Rossy did not arrive at the intended landing site -- apparently after he tricked his support staff.

"He didn't land where he was supposed to because at the last minute he played a trick on me," said Jean-Marc Colomb, pilot of the plane which dropped Rossy over the French coast and then tailed him across the Channel.

本周五，瑞士一名冒險家僅靠一副噴氣式飛行翼成功飛越了英吉利海峽，成為史上完成這一壯舉的第一人。之后他在描述飛行感受時說，他覺得自己“像只飛鳥”。

當天，49歲的“飛人”伊夫斯•羅西從法國起飛，穿越了世界最繁忙的海路之一英吉利海峽，最后在英國多佛白色峭壁的一塊空地上安全著陸，順利完成了長達35公里（22英里）的飛行。

羅西笑著說：“我已經證明人可以像鳥一樣飛翔，我就是為了實現這個夢想。當你心中有了一個理想，腳踏實地地去實現它才是最切實的事情。”

在被問及飛的感覺如何時，他開玩笑說：“那種感覺是，你會沉醉其中，又要保持注意力集中——我那時在想，下面的水可是很涼的。”

當天羅西乘一架小飛機從法國出發，當飛機飛至距海面2500米的高空時，羅西背著碳制動力機翼一躍而下，并以每小時200多公里的速度飛行。

在降落過程中，羅西先關閉翅膀的引擎，然后在距海面約1500米的藍天中打開了黃綠相間的降落傘，不久便順利著落。整個飛行用時約十幾分鐘。

成功著陸后，這位冒險家顯得十分激動，他在工作人員的協助下卸下了幫助他飛行的“翅膀”。

羅西一著陸，便被記者們團團圍住，他在接受采訪時說：“飛行的感覺很美妙。現在我的心情比飛行前平靜多了。今天的飛行條件也十分完美。”

此前羅西試飛時的時間從未超過十分鐘，所以在這次飛行前他必須將機翼和體重都調整到最佳狀態，因為即便增加幾百克的重量都會影響他的飛行。

當天，共有兩架輕型飛機和兩架直升機對羅西進行全程跟蹤拍攝。

雖然整個飛行過程看上去很完美，但其實羅西并沒有降落在指定地點，他跟工作人員開了個玩笑。

駕駛那架小飛機將羅西送到空中的飛行員西恩-馬克•科洛姆說：“他沒有降落在指定的地點，末了還跟我開了個玩笑。”這架小飛機將羅西在高空中放下后，一直尾隨他飛越了英吉利海峽。