Flying Dude

I just read an article on the NY Times website about the quest to land a wing suit without a parachute. Basically a bunch of groups are trying to make a suit that you can jump out of a plane in and land without dying. Honestly this is crazy enough that it might work and apparently aerodynamics folks are saying that on paper it seems possible. However the best part about these “projects” are the quotes from the guys that are actually attempting to do it…it obviously takes a very special dude. Here are a couple of my favorites…

Loïc Jean-Albert of France has become known as the Flying Dude for his video’s on YouTube (see video below) and when asked about the quest to land a wing suit he was quoted as saying “You might do it well one time and try another time and crash and die.”

Then in a video that’s part of the NY Times article I read the best quote, which came from Jeb Corliss.
"People ask me, you know, what’s the point, why would you do something like that? And I mean to be honest with you for me the wing suit landing is something that, you know, people have never done before. And it’s hard in this day and age to do something that has never been done before. This will be the first time that a human being has reached terminal velocity and landed on their face at over 110 miles an hour and got up and done it again. That’s a very special thing and as far as I’m concern this is something people have wanted to do since the time of Icarus”

Three Comments about this quote…
1) Apparently in the past it was easy to do things that have never been done before.
2) I’m pretty sure if he lands at 110 miles per hour on his face he will not do it again no matter what he is wearing.
3) Last time I checked Icarus was part of Greek Mythology and thus not really established in history…so how long exactly have people been wanting to land on their face at over 110 miles an hour?