When Yves Rossy set off across the Strait of Gibraltar in November, he was attempting to become the first person to fly between two continents using only a jetpack.

Rossy’s flying device on first viewing resembles something you might have produced for a science project; a backpack with wings spanning 2.4 metres.  The slight difference though between Rossy’s contraption and your cardboard box creation, is the additional power of four attached jet engines.

His first flight in 2006 lasted just six minutes. Undeterred, the intrepid Rossy took on the English Channel crossing in 2008 and successfully negotiated it in under 10 minutes.

His most recent flight was expected to take a little over a quarter of an hour, but disaster struck. Strong winds and banks of cloud conspired against the Swiss pilot and a malfunction with his wing forced deployment of his parachute. A distressing plummet into the sea soon followed. 

Fear not. Rossy was unhurt and is already planning his next airborne adventure, a flight across Arizona’s Grand Canyon. “If a man has courage to attempt that which is not easy, that is what is important," he said. I think we would all agree it’s probably a good thing that he doesn’t place too much importance on success.

Rossy is by no means the only thrill seeker to attempt such a feat. Many before him have tried and failed, often with outlandish contraptions resembling bird or bat wings inspired by the Caped Crusader himself. Invariably though, what thwarts these daredevils in their quest is not a Gotham City villain, but simply the laws of aerodynamics.

So for a different approach here’s Lawnchair Larry:

Lawrence Walters earned the nickname “Lawnchair Larry” when he took flight in July, 1982 on an ordinary patio chair. The Los Angeles truck driver attached 45 helium filled balloons to his seat, dubbed Inspiration I. He rose to an altitude of over 15,000 feet and in 45 minutes had drifted over controlled airspace near LA International Airport. All was going splendidly until Larry attempted to control his descent by shooting several balloons with his pellet gun.

The gun was dropped overboard and with no control over his direction, the aircraft descended slowly into power cables causing a 20 minute blackout in Long Beach. When Walters finally landed back on terra firma he was arrested and fined for breaching part of the Federal Aviation Act.

Happily for Walter’s his fine was subsequently reduced and he received top prize from the Bonehead Club of Dallas for his adventure. When asked why he had done it, Walters replied “A man can’t just sit around”.