Up up and away! Getting high with the Jetlev jetpack
I’d like to pose a problem and a solution. The problem? Well, most people would dearly love to soar through the air pulling off eye-popping aerial stunts while imagining themselves saving the world a la Iron Man (or possibly planning world domination if they’ve had a bad morning at the office). However, conventional jetpacks are unwieldy, use fuel which is difficult to get hold of, and cost the earth. There is also something pretty terrifying about waving goodbye to terra firma and launching yourself high into the atmosphere at the mercy of a couple of highly pressurized canisters of fuel.
Image Courtesy of http://laughingsquid.com/jetlev-flyer-a-personal-water-powered-jet-pack/
The solution? Jetlev. This may just be the future of human flight; sleek, safe and (relatively) affordable. With a price tag of over £100,000, this is still not the jetpack for the man in the street, but there are vital differences between this flying machine and all the others out there. For a start, Jetlev uses water for propulsion instead of kerosene or hydrogen peroxide, which means being able to fly for up to 4 hours, and with reduced chances of becoming a human firework (see below).
Image Courtesy of http://www.fireworksdisplayteam.co.uk/
The equipment for pumping the water comes behind the pilot, connected by a 10m hose, meaning the person on the other end is free to soar, bank, turn and make as many Tony Starkesque one-liners as they can possibly think of. Suspended high above the water, hearing the roar of the jets, Jetlev pilots will have to focus hard on not developing any feelings of superiority towards the people far below them who are actually using their LEGS to get around. Fools.
Image Courtesy of http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/ClxScrkIeeD/Miami+Yacht+Brokerage+Show+Features+JetLev/BVQ00ELD6Ph
The newest adventure sport on the block was given a further boost by the attention of one of Chillisauce’s favourite extreme sports directors, Devin Graham, A.K.A ‘devinsupertramp’. Devin took the Jetlev to Miami, filmed the pilot cutting some aerial capers (and at one point going under the water like a human torpedo), layered a couple of MC’s over the top and bob’s your uncle, the video went viral. With the attention of directors like Devin, the sky really is the limit for this excellent new pastime.
About the Author
Adrian Simpson Adrian Simpson is a writer and TV presenter with a profound love of the outdoors. His family, snow, sea, brewing, vinyl, guitars and VW buses mean the world to him.
