The Martin Jetpack

[Guest ozzie]

The Martin JetPack company has announced that on July 29th at 9.30am they will unveil to the public at Airventure for the first time, their futuristic Buck Rogers strap on 'rocket belt'.

 

With a reported duration of 30mins and using just 'regular gasoline' it will change forever personal transportation. (here we go again). The companies website just pulls you up to the Oshkosh anouncment. About all that is known about this company is they are in Australia or New Zealand.

 

So anyone seen anything weird lately.? Anyone know anything about martin and his jetpack?

 

Just happens i'll be at Aeroshell square about the above time. if it doesn't blow up in my face, i'll take a photo.

 

cool logo.

 

ozzie

 

 

 

[Guest Rocko]

Does it run on biodiesel?

 

After all, with the current price of "regular gasoline", it'd be cheaper running it on Plutonium, wouldn't it? ;)

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Well Done, Martin Team

 

When the news of this jetpack was starting to hit the rumour mill, everyone immeadiately imagined a screaming rocket type setup almost straight out of the comic books. No one had picked up that it was basically two ducted fans strapped to your back.. the amount of hush hush surrounding the entire developement was equal to any military project, if fact probably even better. Developed in New Zealand, no member of the puplic had seen it either static or flying until it was unveiled at AeroShell Square during Airventure. Right up until the day before, testing and training was being conducted inside a screened enclosure at nearby Fon Du Lac.

 

The basic theory behind the design is one engine driving two ducted fans with moveable control vanes fitted just inside the outlets. additional vanes fitted down low aid in keeping osillations down and height being controlled via the throttle. All controlled via two joysticks. Power is supplied by a purpose designed 2ltr V4 2 stroke.(see engine thread) The entire unit sits on a mono leg that has impact absorbing capabilities.

 

In the USA it complies with FAR103 ultralight catagory. It also complies in New Zealand. And you guessed it, CASA wants the bad dream to go away. mr maritn jetpack, did not have much nice to say about casa. gee at a 100 grand it's not like every man and his dog will be overcoming peak hour snarl with them. Any way back to aeroshell sqr the FAA limited it's height to 6 ft and the two grab bars and assistants be used.(bit like training wheels) after the verbal blurb the crowd of thousands moved back and gave them some room and the 17yr old flew pretty much in control in gusty wind conditions. and bummmer i had to miss it all as it clashed with my B17 flight. I later had the chance to watch a lot of the training flights. there is definately a techniquie for flying this. Later during the week at the international visitors dinner and beer fest, i managed a pretty indepth debriefing with them. Maybe just maybe it will come to Avalon. Wish i had 100 grand, just to play with it in the backyard, go get the milk, chase the kids at the MX track. for those more adventurous it comes with a ballistic recovery system.

 

If one thing came out of Airventure 08 was that my grandkids have some really neat toys coming there way. machines like the Martin personal transportion device, the beginnings of privately operated commercial spaceflight, new airframe and engine designs now coming affordable and aviation is now finally moving into the 21st century.

 

Ozzie

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Andys@coffs]

Wonder what the glide ratio is like when the engine fails.....perhaps there is an optional BRS :big_grin: (If only I'd read Ozzies Post I would have seen that....I aslo suppose that if you keep to under 6ft perhaps glide ratio isnt all that important....)

 

Andy

 

 

[markendee]

Hate to wet on your bonfire Ozzie but Professor John Robinson had one of these in 1965.

 

It was a beauty too, all covered in aluminium foil.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Sure , the concept has been around in different variations like the flying platforms with the fans located on the base since the 50's.

 

Now in our digital age the martin unit will be able to refine the design with tailored fadec and some software driven flight control stuff that will take a lot of the 'edge' off the instability that is inherent with control inputs coming from a human that is close to panic for the first 5 or so hrs i belive that the major goal of the design is to be able to purchase 'off the shelf' hover control. of course power failure is a real worry. makes good note on the old saying 'only fly as high as you are willing to fall'.

 

they should try to get it in the next james bond movie. as for pratical applications ,who cares, looks cool.

 

 

[pylon500]

Professor John Robinson (Lost in Space) had one of these in 1965

Those Real Jetpacks from the '60s and '70s were usually actual rockets whereas the Martin Jetpack (Fanpack?) is a concept that has been around for just as long, but still not practically proven.

The Martin has yet to prove itself fully. i_dunno

 

When the 'MythBusters' did a show and made a Fanpack (see here for the PLANS!) I was surprised they gave up so quickly after all their work :raise_eyebrow:

 

Maybe the FAA suggested that it shouldn't work to stop thousands of crazies from killing themselves in half assed copies (refer to plans above ).

 

There's a bit of history on the Wikipedia site with a link to the Solo-Trek site as well as more info back on this Wiki page.

 

Don't get me wrong, this looks like a lot of fun, if some what limited in performance.

 

It would be good to take off vertically, but use that power to do a decent forward speed as well.

 

I must do some more design work on my 'PogoLite'

 

Hey, now I can use that cool sign-off smiley......

 

Arthur.

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

The Jupiter 2 always had some neat gadjets to keep us 'space race' kids immagination firing. Now the opertunity to actually get your hands on one is here and thats great. I saw the original 'Bell rocket belt" fly at one of the Easter Shows, musta been around '68 or so. Had a lot of wow factor.

 

Wonder how long before we see one of these on the market.

 

Not too long ago there was a similar device sold on e bay that recieved it's lift via 4 (maybe more) of those larger type RC jet engines. someone else with to much spare cash.

 

 

 

 

[Aussie Steve]

I would like to see some sort of roll cage to protect my face and forward facing bits in case of a nose in !!:black_eye:

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

http://www.ultraflightradio.com/impodcast/2008/07/22/ufr080722b.mp3

 

interview with the owner Glenn Martin. interesting