Задание

Birdmen

Have you ever wanted to spread your arms and fly like a bird? Well, now you can – if you dare! Wearing something that looks like a superhero outfit, wingsuit flyers leap from precarious heights and glide at high speeds down mountains. The sport is quite similar to skydiving except that participants can travel much closer to the ground. Using the special wings of the suit, wearers can zoom over trees, valleys and even through waterfalls! It is a truly bird-like flying experience!

Sound dangerous? It certainly is! Wingsuit flying is only recommended for experienced skydivers who are able to control their bodies while moving through the air. Only with adequate experience and proper training can a successful glide be achieved, otherwise divers face the risk of spinning uncontrollably. This would make it impossible to deploy a parachute, resulting in an 80kph crash landing!

The ability to fly has captivated human imagination for centuries, and the wingsuit is actually nothing new. In fact, the world's first wingsuit was developed in 1912 to allow pilots to safely eject from a damaged aircraft. However, these early wingsuits were highly unsafe and resulted in many casualties. It wasn't until 1998 that the wingsuit was finally perfected and sold commercially, marking the birth of a new death-defying sport.

Now if an 80kph flight isn't enough of an adrenaline boost for you, then how about taking it one step further? Wingsuit expert Yves Rossy has done just that – by strapping himself to a jet-pack! Although it has not been approved for commercial use, Rossy's custom-made wingpack allows him to travel at a nerve-racking 250kph! "Rocketman," as he is often called, reports that his jet-powered flight was the most exhilarating experience of his life!

What was the original function of the wingsuit?