I looked around and didn't see this anywhere here. This is just too cool. A guy I was watching it with was saying it looked so scary. I said "Dude, I'd do it tomorrow if he would teach me." And I meant it. The technology is real, and after asking around, I found out the inventor/developer has already been approached by a group that has ordered 5 of these things in black! Watch the video and you'll know what I mean.

http://jet-man.com/playervideo.swf?video=jetman2007.flv

C'mon, no one has a comment on this cool application of existing technology? I was sure someone would at least throw me a "Wow". I was pretty stunned to see it work so well.

OMG! You'd do that? Frankly, I hate to stand on a footstool to change a light bulb!

You should talk to MID about this one (I think he'd like it).

Where can I buy one?

Wow....Bloody amazing stuff....The ultimate adrenaline rush !!!!! Not for the faint-hearted though....

Wow. That's just plain cool!

I don't know Lil...I've always maintained I was one of those pilots who doesn't ever jump out of a perfectly good airplane...but when one has a perfectly good airplane strapped to his or her back?
That might make me have second thoughts about it.

God, looking at that raises so many questions!

I want to see some technical information: engine design, fuel capacity, wing loading, any design assumptions about the wind, etc., etc...
I can see that the flight was done on a cold day, logically...more density of air to provide lift. The thing had enough power to convert to horizontal flight with good stability without vertical stabilization, a really neat outboard deployment method (which I want to know about...obviously, they can be retracted as well). I'd like to know how one deploys the chute (stall the wing and enter free fall???).


My piloting instincts have me thinking about landing this thing, but the velocity would have to be too high given the wing area to land it at much less than 100 MPH, which might hurt....and of course, it's slow flight characteristics can't be derived from the film...


This would make DaVinci smile broadly!!!!


I want a pilot's operating handbook for this deal!!!


Looks like a blast.

Lil...getting you in the airplane, without the engine running, might make you faint. I'm not sure I could get a wing strapped on you without apoplexy resulting!


...you wouldn't let me try, of course!

Only to my already deceased body.

However, if you did successfully put me into one of those gizmos and set me off...I'd die of fright anyway!

http://www.jet-man.com/index_eng.html

http://www.jetcatusa.com/

No idea how he deploys the wings. Looks like the same type of folds as used by Navy planes on carriers.
I saw the bottles under the wings, and assumed at first they were JATO bottles or something similar. Turns out they are actually turbines! Real jet engines designed for high end model aircraft. His website says he maneuvers by moving his body and that he figured it out by watching birds! I am not easy to impress, and when I first saw this I got goose bumps. How long before Navy SEALS are using these for HALO jumps? Maybe a WEEK?

Ok, how much cause I want one.

That was so amazing I almost cried.

Pretty cool. I could have fun on something like that...

Yes, those are indeed miniature turbines under there. He's got some sort of lever he pulls to deploy the wings. Obviously, there's alot of technical testing and such that's been done on this device...this fellow's quite the experienced jet pilot. I can see how he could use body movements to effect bank angles and pitch angles on the wing. I'd love to read some of the technical materials he's got...but I suppose that's gonna be sequestered for some time to come, for logical reasons.

I think someone in the military's gonna be mighty interested in this capability, and our pilot friend may find himself a defense contractor in a while! But man...what a thrill to watch that happen, huh?

I can't wait to see his newer version with respectable climb and aerobatic capabilities. Imagine a human aileron roll or a loop or a split-S at 150 knots with a wing strapped to your back!

Again...wow!

saw this in nuts/zoo and my first and last thought?

I have got to get me one of these!

*Takes out 2007 Christmas list*
*Scratches out XBox 360*

That was amazing, i was wondering once he got a level pattern going if he would be able to climb and gain altitude. It appears he can and it does, that is some awsome flying. Ya MID some specs on it would be great, wonder how long one can stay airborne? Yup I would do that tomorrow if I had the chance, well after a couple lessons anyway LOL.

I think i would not afford one of those things.
It would be very cool to have one of those.

Does anyone know when these are supposed to be on the market, or how much they will cost? Will you need a license to fly these?

If you prowl the websites, you can get some basic info. I think his flight times are about 10 minutes at the moment.



From the websites, he is working on getting what he calls "acrobatic control" controls on his next version, and getting the OK to do air shows.

Speculating now: I bet you will need a permit of some sort to fly this.
Rumor has it that it's already being looked at by government folks. (HALO jumps with one of these in flat black I bet).
The engines you can look up specs and prices on. http://www.jetcatusa.com/
I bet you can bet on 10-20K for one of these.

NO THANK YOU

man thats insane! What a rush that would be. I gota get me one of these someday.

nice video...........
very cool

this is the ESG gryphon it allows elite troops to fly at up to 400km/h. the carbon fiber glider lets the user soar for 190 kilometers while carrying 90 kilos of gear

http://jet-man.com/prod/index.html
This is the latest link to his site. The old one was broken, so I figured I'd toss in a fresh one.