"Fusionman" crosses channel using home-made jet pack

TO INFINITY and beyond. But first, Kent. Daredevil Swiss pilot Yves Rossy soared into the record books yesterday by making the first solo flight across the English Channel – using a single, homemade rocket-powered wing strapped to his back.

Mr Rossy, nicknamed "Fusionman", navigated the crossing from Calais to Dover in less than 15 minutes before proclaiming it was now possible for all of mankind to "fly a little bit like a bird".

An airline pilot by day, Mr Rossy's attempts to traverse the 22-mile stretch had twice been thwarted by typically overcast British weather conditions.

But by yesterday lunchtime, a crisp autumn day allowed the 49-year-old to drop from a light aeroplane 8,000 feet above the French coast and set off into clear blue skies.

At times reaching speeds in excess of 120mph over one the world's busiest shipping lanes, the former fighter pilot with the Swiss air force was propelled by four kerosene-burning jet turbines attached to an eight-foot, carbon fibre wing.

With no steering device, Mr Rossy could only tilt his head and back to control the wing's movement.

The Swiss found himself above the White Cliffs of Dover ahead of schedule and, buoyed with confidence, he completed a half loop before cutting his engines, deploying his parachute and making his descent.

Strong tailwinds threw him marginally off course into a ploughed field but, landing safely on his kneepads, he punched the air in delight. He was doused in champagne, and received an ecstatic reception from supporters.

"It's like I am in another world," he said. "It is a mix of reality and dreams. I am flying with a wing and just a turn of my head"

"It was just perfect. I'm in a dream. It was a mixture of being euphoric and concentrated."

Mr Rossy's historic feat traced the route of his hero, Louis Bleriot, the French aviation pioneer who became the first person to fly across the Channel in an aeroplane in 1909. Yesterday's event was broadcast live by the National Geographic Channel, but a malfunctioning bird's eye camera on the wing meant Mr Rossy could only be seen thanks to helicopters that tracked his journey.

A pilot with Swiss International Air Lines, he worked for years perfecting his £95,000 prototype design until he found a precise weight and measurement for his lightweight carbon composite wing. Previously, he had some near misses, including one flight that saw an engine fail, which sent him into a rapid downwards spiral.

He aims to fly over the Grand Canyon, and take off from the ground. A further ambition is to establish a Red Arrows style aerobatic group. Mr Rossy added that he hoped the world might one day share his invention.

He is also determined to fly vertically one day but so far technology has hindered his dream. In order to achieve sufficient thrust, the engines require more fuel than the wing can carry.

Mr Rossy's feet will not stay on the ground for long. On Monday, he is due to fly Swiss International Air Lines flight LX8100 to Egypt.

After conquering La Manche, the A320 Airbus duty pilot insisted his day job was far from humdrum. "It's not boring. It's the best office in the world, being in the cockpit of a plane."

For Mr Rossy, even the sky presents no limits.