
World's first commercially available Jetpack goes on sale  - hachiya
http://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/world-s-first-commercially-available-jetpack-goes-on-sale-675944
======
jkent
The Darwin Awards just got a whole lot more competitive.

~~~
ShabbyDoo
I don't see why this is inherently more dangerous than, say, flying a powered
parachute. It's really more in the same class as a helicopter except that
engine failure risk is mitigated by the emergency parachute system. Running
into stuff while flying low is probably the main mode of death.

~~~
bonsaitree
Mainly due to the fact that a 'powered parachute' (e.g. an ultralite)
undergoes essentially no mass modal volume delta in airflow when transitioning
between powered and unpowered flight.

The controls, and fundamental aeronautical responses to flight inputs, remain
the same in both flight regimes and, for the most part, there's a gradual and
manageable amount of pilot feedback during the transition.

In fact, this lack of "gradual feedback" was the main reason that power
steering took so long to be safety-approved in automobiles. It's also why, in
most countries, pure 'drive-by-wire' controls are only allowed in experimental
and prototype road vehicles. Despite the obvious ergonomic and cockpit layout
virtues of joysticks, steering wheels and worm gears can still work without
active power-assists.

The same can be said for a gliding light airplane or helicopter under auto-
rotation.

Alas, the same CAN NOT be said for the Martin jetpack when deploying its
ballistic parachute. Btw, aside from cost and liability issues, this is one of
the reasons emergency ballistic parachutes haven't caught on in small single-
engine aircraft.

~~~
thetrumanshow
Besides the extra weight, what is the difference between a skydiver and
someone wearing a jetpack when deploying a parachute?

~~~
bonsaitree
I'm not sure I understand your question.

A skydiver is transitioning (abruptly) from unpowered free-fall into
unpowered, albeit greatly slowed, descent. The jetpack user is transitioning
from powered, controlled horizontal flight (with its characteristic 6 degrees
of freedom) into unpowered descent.

A back-up chute for the skydiver has essentially, but not quite, the same
flight characteristics and initial deployment conditions as a main.

Parachutes in a stable flight configuration are incredibly safe and reliable,
but it's GETTING that 6-axis dynamic flight-body INTO that stable flight
configuration that's the real challenge.

It's relatively easy to design a system for even extremely large, static,
dead-weights (such as cargo or even battle tanks) to be safely launched,
arrested, and landed via parachute.

It's an entirely different problem when your safe chute deployment must take
into account the wide variance in airspeed, pitch, yaw, altitude, and
environmental influences which powered free flight allows. Imagine a worse-
case scenario where all power was lost just after a major inadvertent yaw
maneuver (it appears to be designed to minimize yawing). That's a sticky-
wicket to solve repeatedly and reliably.

------
10ren
More a Fanpack. Still, very cool.

video <http://www.martinjetpack.com/video-gallery.aspx>

------
leelin
Seems like it'll get the same treatment as the Segway. Lots of places banned
Segways from sidewalks... Jetpacks certainly need to be banned from pretty
much anyplace where it would be worthwhile or incredibly fun?

~~~
rbanffy
If it gets certificated as something more than an experimental aircraft, you
should expect to be able to fly it at least by the same rules you fly a
helicopter.

~~~
khafra
What really matters is whether I'm allowed to fly it to work or not.

~~~
jrockway
I'm pretty sure there is nothing stopping you from flying an ultralight (or
even regular) aircraft to work. Except for cost.

~~~
rbanffy
In my case, there are a couple buildings, to say nothing about one of the
busiest airports in the country.

------
NZ_Matt
I've seen this on a few New Zealand current affairs shows and have never seen
any footage of an unassisted outdoor flight. Every time the creators have had
media coverage they have insisted on doing it inside and not allowing it to go
higher than a few meters off the ground.

I'd like to see them do a real test flight higher than a few meters off the
ground before I'm convinced that this is the real deal.

------
jknupp
Only commercial orders for now.

From the company's site:

"Martin Jetpack is currently accepting enquiries from commercial customers.
Please place your initial enquiry through this site and we will contact you
directly.

It is expected that early orders for sales to private individuals will
commence late 2010"

EDIT: removed [sic] for "enquiries", as MW dictionary doesn't contain it but
others do.

~~~
roryokane
Enquiry is a real word, too; no need for [sic]. My dictionary calls it a
“chiefly Brit.” variant of inquiry.

------
awolf
In 10 years we are going to look back at these photos and laugh at how
ridiculous the first jetpacks looked.

~~~
ars
Why?

It looks very similar to jetpacks from 50 years ago.

The physics of rockets is not going to change.

~~~
eplanit
Yeah! The author of the article seems to think the concept originated with
"The Fall Guy" in the 1980s.

[http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/design/personal-
flyer/b...](http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/design/personal-
flyer/bond.jpg)

------
docgnome
Yet another reason for me to try to lose some weight :-P

------
synnik
It is classed by the FAA as an ultralight aircraft. Google surely will provide
full details, but in brief, that means that you cannot fly it over any
inhabited area. No commuting.

------
jacquesm
It's a bit of a stretch to call it the first commercially available personal
flying machine, there are plenty of single-seat aircraft and choppers that
qualify for that title.

This guy has them beaten for style though:

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Dbbp1_FJc&feature=relat...](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-Dbbp1_FJc&feature=related)

and this one is pretty neat too...:

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDmnjwbJrVM&feature=fvsr](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDmnjwbJrVM&feature=fvsr)

~~~
gcheong
Came across this today: <http://www.terrafugia.com>

~~~
jacquesm
Wow... that's one very neat little machine.

$194,000 is a bit steep though!

------
ekanes
Thought their pricing was interesting, lower than I would have guessed:
"Martin Aircraft has built several prototypes so we have a good idea how much
they cost to manufacture. Depending on production volume, the initial cost
will be about the same as a high-end motorcycle or car. As volume increases
this will drop to be similar to a mid-range motorcycle or car."

------
proee
Are there any videos of a full flight? I only saw an indoor test flight.
Wondering what happens when you get a strong wind - a good control system is
going to be needed to keep the thing from total failure.

------
evgen
Why are they using a 2-stroke ICE instead of a small turbine I wonder? The
pack looked quite cool from the front but when the pilot spun around it looked
like he had a VW beetle strapped to his back...

~~~
bonsaitree
I can only guess fuel-consumption-to-thrust efficiencies (longer flight times)
or pure cost since a pure gas turbine will always beat out a mechanically
linked fan-stroke in specific power (i.e. kW/kg), but will almost always be
more costly due to the extremely high manufacturing tolerances required for
turbines.

------
qeorge
Original article with more information:

[http://www.gizmag.com/first-commercially-available-
jetpack/1...](http://www.gizmag.com/first-commercially-available-
jetpack/14423/)

------
javajones
What fuel does it use?

~~~
jigg4joe
"...powered by a 200hp two-liter V4 two-stroke petrol engine."

Same as your car.

~~~
smallblacksun
"two-stroke" Same as your lawnmower.

~~~
billswift
You mean chain saw, most lawn mowers are four-stroke.

------
orblivion
Weren't we all told that this would be impossible?

------
RyanMcGreal
That settles it. I'm trading in my Segway.

------
ahi
Glad I'm not paying that insurance bill.

~~~
jrockway
Why? A 1000 foot fall is much cheaper to treat than cancer. (Step 1: scrape up
organs. Step 2: incinerate them.)

