Wingpack

Another variation on which studies are being focused on is the so-called wingpack, which consists of a strap-on rigid wing in carbon fibre.^[2] It is a mix between a hang-glider and a wingsuit. The wingpack can reach a glide ratio of 6 and permits transportation of oxygen bottles and other material.^[3]

On July 31, 2003 an Austrian, Felix Baumgartner, jumping from 29,360 ft (9 km), successfully crossed the English Channel in 14 minutes, having covered over 35 km (21.8 mi).^[4]

In 2006, the German enterprise ESG introduced Gryphon, a wingpack specifically destined to the secret incursions of the special forces.^[5]

Using a powered wingpack, Yves Rossy became the first person to obtain the maneuverability of an aircraft while steering solely with body movement; his experimental wingpack, however, is not commercially viable because of the fuel the wing uses, and the materials required in construction are prohibitive in cost. Nonetheless, his eight-minute flight over the Swiss Alps made headlines around the world, and so far, his "jet-wingpack" remains the only one capable of sustained flight.