Imagine what it would feel like to actually fly. Well, it turns out that invention may not be far off if a presentation at TED Global 2011 is anything to go by.

With the organisation's annual conference kicking off in Edinburgh this week, punters - who paid up to £3,700 per ticket - got one breathtaking account of that experience, reports Mashable.

Using only jet powered wings made out of fiberglass and carbon fiber, former pilot Yves Rossy not only flew over the Grand Canyon, but he also crossed the English Channel with this new handsfree technology purely steered by his body.

Travelling at 305 kilometers per hour and scaling heights of 3,000 meters, Rossy can stay in the air for up to 10 minutes.

"I don't have feathers, but I feel like a bird sometimes. It's an unreal feeling," Rossy told the TED audience.

For those unable to attend the renowned conference or pay the steep entrance fee, check out this video of his Grand Canyon flight experience.