HUALAPAI INDIAN RESERVATION, Ariz. (AP) — A Swiss adventurer has completed a flight over the Grand Canyon in his custom-built jet suit.
Yves Rossy (yeevz RAW’-see) was airborne for more than eight minutes Saturday, soaring 200 feet above the canyon rim on the Hualapai (WAHL’-uh-peye) Reservation.
A planned Friday flight before reporters was cancelled after Rossy determined it would be too challenging without any practice runs. The Federal Aviation Administration had given Rossy the green light less than an hour before he was scheduled to take flight.
Rossy’s sponsor, Swiss watchmaker Breitling, announced the successful flight Tuesday. Rossy’s team says he flew at speeds of up to 190 mph before deploying his parachute and landing on the canyon floor.
The 51-year-old Rossy says the flight, which was his first in the U.S., is among the most memorable experiences of his life.
