One Step Closer to the Jetpack

[JohnRgt 0]

Rossy, an extreme sports guy who has spent years assembling his wings, casually stepped out of an airplane at 7,500 feet, unfolded the wings and quickly passed from free fall to mellow glide. He then fired up the wings' engines and accelerated to more than 180 mph

WIRED

(Scan to the middle of the page for video footage.)

[RickWilmes 0]

Rossy, an extreme sports guy who has spent years assembling his wings, casually stepped out of an airplane at 7,500 feet, unfolded the wings and quickly passed from free fall to mellow glide. He then fired up the wings' engines and accelerated to more than 180 mph

WIRED

(Scan to the middle of the page for video footage.)

I'm not sure if this is the same guy, but for the last several years Warren Miller has been featuring a guy who has been perfecting winged flight. I'll look through my Warren Miller DVD's and let you know which ones to watch. Its truly amazing to watch with the expertise of Warren Miller's camera men and music edited into the footage.

[Paul's Here 0]

Rossy, an extreme sports guy who has spent years assembling his wings, casually stepped out of an airplane at 7,500 feet, unfolded the wings and quickly passed from free fall to mellow glide. He then fired up the wings' engines and accelerated to more than 180 mph

WIRED

(Scan to the middle of the page for video footage.)

Wow. I'm ready to try that.

Only one thing wrong. He didn't have his hands out front. Everyone know, since Superman days, that you can only fly with your hands in front of you.

[JohnRgt 0]

Only one thing wrong. He didn't have his hands out front. Everyone know, since Superman days, that you can only fly with your hands in front of you.

Seriously....and what's up with the helmet?

[Paul's Here 0]

Only one thing wrong. He didn't have his hands out front. Everyone know, since Superman days, that you can only fly with your hands in front of you.

Seriously....and what's up with the helmet?

My guess, it's probably a state law or something like that, for parachutists.

[realitycheck44 0]

Rossy, an extreme sports guy who has spent years assembling his wings, casually stepped out of an airplane at 7,500 feet, unfolded the wings and quickly passed from free fall to mellow glide. He then fired up the wings' engines and accelerated to more than 180 mph

WIRED

(Scan to the middle of the page for video footage.)

I'm not sure if this is the same guy, but for the last several years Warren Miller has been featuring a guy who has been perfecting winged flight. I'll look through my Warren Miller DVD's and let you know which ones to watch. Its truly amazing to watch with the expertise of Warren Miller's camera men and music edited into the footage.

The concept is also highly featured in the ski movie Seven Sunny Days. First, a skier named Shane McConkey combined BASE jumping with skiing- ie ski down the mountain and off a huge cliff. Then he had the idea of combining a wingsuit with skiing. It's really amazing stuff. However, awingsuit is much different than a set of homemade wings. And having it rocket propelled is awesome.

[Thales 0]

Paul, I believe he's using the Iron Man technique:

http://www.gamerslore.com/pictures/18423_I...n-05_normal.jpg

Rossy is Iron Man!

[RickWilmes 0]

Rossy, an extreme sports guy who has spent years assembling his wings, casually stepped out of an airplane at 7,500 feet, unfolded the wings and quickly passed from free fall to mellow glide. He then fired up the wings' engines and accelerated to more than 180 mph

WIRED

(Scan to the middle of the page for video footage.)

I'm not sure if this is the same guy, but for the last several years Warren Miller has been featuring a guy who has been perfecting winged flight. I'll look through my Warren Miller DVD's and let you know which ones to watch. Its truly amazing to watch with the expertise of Warren Miller's camera men and music edited into the footage.

The concept is also highly featured in the ski movie Seven Sunny Days. First, a skier named Shane McConkey combined BASE jumping with skiing- ie ski down the mountain and off a huge cliff. Then he had the idea of combining a wingsuit with skiing. It's really amazing stuff. However, awingsuit is much different than a set of homemade wings. And having it rocket propelled is awesome.

The winged suit jumper in the Warren Miller films is Dave Barlia. The rocket propelled aspect looks like the next step in the evolution of fliight for these guys. Maybe next year, they will be doing barrel rolls with the jet pack?

Dave Barlia is featured in two films. ColdFusion and HigherGround. In ColdFusion, Dave Barlia jumed off the north face of the Swiss Eiger at the time his jump broke the record for sailing through the air for 41 seconds. The DVD's can be found here .

Or you can grab a beer, sit back and watch from the links below. Enjoy!!!

Dave Barlia's Eiger jump.

Dave Barlia's Chamonix jump.

[JohnRgt 0]

Rossy just flew across the English Channel.

Link

(Note the video links on the upper left.)

[ruveyn ben yosef 0]

Rossy just flew across the English Channel.

Link

(Note the video links on the upper left.)

Very adventurous. But is it practical? Can we commute with jet packs? Is it cost effective? And how safe is it?

Speaking as a pilot, I would rather go through the air inside a sound craft than be aloft with one on my back.

ruveyn

[piz 0]

Speaking as a pilot, I would rather go through the air inside a sound craft than be aloft with one on my back.

Or, in the words of the late George Carlin, "[At the airport] they keep saying, 'Get on the plane! Get on the plane!' I say that, I'm getting IN the plane! Let Evel Knievel get on the plane."

[JohnRgt 0]

But is it practical?

Looks like a practical way to get that exact thrill, so I'd say yes.

Can we commute with jet packs?

Who cares? (Can we commute by skis, sailboats, racecars, gliders, bicycles when we step outside the urban context, etc.?)

Is it cost effective?

It depends on the value you place on that exact experience.

And how safe is it?

When compared to what?

[ruveyn ben yosef 0]

But is it practical?

Looks like a practical way to get that exact thrill, so I'd say yes.

Can we commute with jet packs?

Who cares? (Can we commute by skis, sailboats, racecars, gliders, bicycles when we step outside the urban context, etc.?)

Is it cost effective?

It depends on the value you place on that exact experience.

And how safe is it?

When compared to what?

Compared to other ways of getting from Here to There.

I raised a question of practicality, not enjoyment. For adventure one can jet pack, hang glide, soaring glide or bunjee jump. For commuting on a regular basis the question of safety is relevant.

ruveyn

ruveyn

[JohnRgt 0]

Compared to other ways of getting from Here to There.

But this thing isn't about getting from here to there -- at least not yet.