Finally! The personal back helicopter !

Neat, but once a "pack" gets that big, I wonder why you would use the backpack form factor at all. It doesn't seem to use kinesthetic control, so why not give the pilot a proper seat and an enclosed cockpit? Something like a scaled down version of the the old Nord 500 VTOL, but with the the ducts fixed vertically, would be a lot more comfortable and could potentially offer some pilot protection in a crash.

nord500_06.jpg
 
Weird! :eek: :eek: The site talks about their developing also a UAV version of their Jetpack. Now what is the purpose of a back pack is there is no back?!? ??? ??? I just don't get it! ::)
 
Weirder still!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

The Martin Aircraft Company was started in New Zealand by a student named... Glenn Martin! ;D
 
"a student named... Glenn Martin"

Perhaps he just founded an aviation company because of his name ? ;)
But the Jetpack should get at least some small wheels, getting it out of, or
back into the garage could be a problem otherwise.
With regards to safety and comfort in relation to its weight, its comparable to
those heavy motorbikes, you hardly can set upright again once they toppled down.
 
Martin defends calling it a jetpack on grounds that we already have jetskis which aren't 'jets' per se.

It seems to be more to do with the desire to have a jetpack as a recreational/thrillseeking toy than any very practical applications. Yves Rossy's 'jet man' setup isn't terrible practical either - http://www.jetman.com/?page_id=24 - but I bet a lot of people would like to fly in it.
 
Mole said:
You would think that the Williams X-Jet/Wasp concept would have more takers than something like this, honestly. The Price Induction engines, if ever produced, would do very nicely for that kind of application. With a ballistic parachute system and perhaps some Mars rover-style airbags, it could even be (relatively) safe.
Click to expand...

At the same time, look at the Segway. It is just ideally conceived, designed and practical, yet it doesn't sell that well... Price is the main obstacle, and the same will apply to the Martin Jetpack, the Solotrek or whatever personal VTOL system gets marketed. Plus it's a LOT more dangerous than a Segway if the engine or the transmission fails, which can also be a major reason for it not "taking off", so to speak...
 
I see your point, but then again, I've never seen the point of the Segway generally, except perhaps in patrolling large crowded areas where the mobile-tallest-guy-in-the-room effect makes sense. I am fat and out of shape, but even I could outpace and outdistance a Segway on a mountain bike any day of the week. On the other hand, there's nothing that I can pedal fast enough to make me fly!
 
To me, the main problem with all those backpack flyers isn't technical, but legal.
Would you need a pilot's licence for light aircraft, helicopters or UL ? Would there be permission
to use it from your garden ? Would there be insurance companies willing to cover the risks
(for others) at an affordable price ?
At least for Germany, I'm sure the answers would be : Yes (for helicopter), no and no, and in many
other countries it would be more or less the same.
 
Jetlev's nice, but nothing new. Bell had done it in the 1960s already.

Also, look at this classic piece of Michael Jackson lore for more of the same. No special effects, the real deal! That was in Bucharest in 1992.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSEktPHjJc
 
Not only the "King Of Pop", but also the "King Of Jetpacks" ! :eek:
I just doubt, that it would have been admissible in many other countries.
 
What?! you mean Michael was NOT flying? that's preposterous! take it back! ;)
 
Jemiba said:
To me, the main problem with all those backpack flyers isn't technical, but legal.
Would you need a pilot's licence for light aircraft, helicopters or UL ? Would there be permission
to use it from your garden ? Would there be insurance companies willing to cover the risks
(for others) at an affordable price ?
At least for Germany, I'm sure the answers would be : Yes (for helicopter), no and no, and in many
other countries it would be more or less the same.
Click to expand...

From the official Martin page:
It's classified as an UL by the FAA and does not require a pilot's license.

However, Martin themselves make sure their clients are good enough to fly via some tests or something.
 
I had this originally in the old thread by mistake.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/industry/10239622/Jetpack-could-soon-be-on-sale-to-general-public.html
 
This could well be the modern replacement for the horses of US American cowboys or Argentinian Gauchos. Or checking
oil pipelines in the Russian tundra or Arabian deserts ...Flying over those vast plains with enormous herds of cattles or deserted
regions elsewhere may be a legal possibility in many countries. But I don't think, that this really is, what this thing was made for !
It bring up dreams of saying "bye" to the family in the morning and taking off to job from your houses door. And this would
enrich only the lawyers, probably even without havingn to wait for the first casualies due to crashed example !
Technical feasible, usable only for very special uses, impratical for anything near to daily uses. A pity, really !
 
Stargazer2006 said:
Weirder still!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

The Martin Aircraft Company was started in New Zealand by a student named... Glenn Martin! ;D
Click to expand...


And even weirder still, Martin bought Lockheed to become Lockheed-Martin (although I persist in calling them Lockheed to this day!) and started to work on the X-35-F-35.
 

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