Childhood Dream Takes to the Air

Air Safety Week, August 4, 2008

On July 29, "the world's first practical jet pack" was unveiled to 5,000 or so spectators at AirVenture Oshkosh 2008, the annual aviation event conducted by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Oshkosh, WI.

Invented by Glenn Martin, a New Zealander, the 250-pound strap-on device is designed to fly an average-sized pilot about 30 miles in a half-hour on a five-gallon tank of autogas. But the inventor's 16-year-old son who flew the prototype Martin Jet Pack at Oshkosh 2008 only rose 2-3 feet off the ground, hovering in place for a mere 45 seconds.

Calling the noisy contraption, which would sell for $100,000 apiece, a 'jet pack' is a misnomer in that a 200-horsepower two-stroke piston engine actually powers twin ducted fans that provides 600 pounds of thrust.

So far, Martin has not taken the device higher than six feet. Martin plans to achieve an altitude of up to 500 feet within six months, according to news reports. Theoretically, the Martin Jet Pack would qualify as an ultralight air vehicle.

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