The Petzoldt Jetpack: Would You Fly This Death Trap?

How would you like to go flying in your very own jetpack? This one is not reccomended - it looks like an iron lung from ages past.

Resembling a cast-iron uterus with whirring, razor-sharp dentata more than a jetpack proper, Andreas Petzoldt has spent the last decade perfecting every rocket lad's dream on his own dime.

It hasn't been tested yet, but Petzoldt promises that it will be better than the "rocket belt" system of human gravity-defiance, since a full tank of fuel will let a single person fly around for over thirty minutes. A proper jetpack has apparently never been created.

Of course, it's hard not to imagine the test flight:
"With great ebullience, Andreas soars into the heavens. He sneers at gravity with contempt, a spurned mistress, a whore who embraces all but him. But suddenly he hears a horrifying choke and shudder and a sickening vertigo creeping up from his genitalia and into his bowels as he plummets back down to the ground, strapped to over 200 pounds of highly-explosive rocket fuel and whirring metal blades."

Would YOU fly one of these things?

External Source: Wired Magazine

Developer's Source: Andreas’ Personal Flying Suit (“Monocopter”) Project

[edit on 11-19-2006 by intelgurl]

Love the description, "Resembling a cast-iron uterus..." But I'd fly one of those things just over some water though to make sure that if I go down I wont be killed.

Originally posted by intelgurl
How would you like to go flying in your very own jetpack? This one is not reccomended - it looks like an iron lung from ages past.

This is a jetpack?

Come on, you're playing with us, right! I wouldn't even touch that rediculas contraption! This is suppsed to be an improvement of the rocket belt. What are they thinking? To add to the joke, your source sais this thing has never been tested. If it's untested, how can they say it will work? I think the designer needs to go back to the drawing board.

For anyone intrested, below is a REAL jetpack:



It has it's limits, but it is a bit more confidence inspiring than this weird gadget! Wouldn't you agree?

Tim

People need to look at the microturbines used in R/C airplanes. Some of the bigger ones (still tiny actually) can put out 100+lbs of thrust. Two of those should be able to lift a not too heavy person. Control - yeah, I have no clue but something gimballed like the original jet pack would probably work....

HELL YEAH!!


WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!

TO INFINTY AND BEYOND!

I want one.

That would be awesome to the maximum - BOOOSHHHHHHHH--- going sky wards on half an hour of fuel....

PICK ME! PIIIIIICKK ME!!

Originally posted by Ghost01
For anyone intrested, below is a REAL jetpack:

Those rocket belts are only good for 30 seconds or so, this would be good for 30 minutes, that's a huge improvement. Why jump on it for no reason without giving it a chance?

Originally posted by Ghost01
To add to the joke, your source sais this thing has never been tested. If it's untested, how can they say it will work?

Umm... it's supposed to work and I'm sure they've done extensive testing to ensure that, but obviously everything needs a first flight.

Originally posted by WestPoint23

Umm... it's supposed to work and I'm sure they've done extensive testing to ensure that, but obviously everything needs a first flight.

WestPoint23,

Perhaps you missed this line while you were reading:

It hasn't been tested yet, but Petzoldt promises that it will be better than the "rocket belt" system of human gravity-defiance,

The article Clearly states that this thing has NEVER been tested. Once this thing gets off the ground, then we'll talk! For the time being, I don't want to blow up with this gadget.

Tim

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Love the description, "Resembling a cast-iron uterus..."

But I'd fly one of those things just over some water though to make sure that if I go down I wont be killed.

It'll drag you down to the abyss. Murphy's Law, anything that can go wrong... will.

So yeah, you take off with this thing... but how will you land? It looks like it weighs a few hundred pounds. Can't be good for your legs.

Shattered OUT...

I'd definately put myself forward as a Darwin Award nominee in the name of gardenshed-engineering!

I read thru all of Petzold's website and he's sure dedicated to turbines...and he built this thing by himself...now that guy definately deserves a WATS!

Originally posted by Ghost01
WestPoint23,

Perhaps you missed this line while you were reading:

No, you just misunderstood my post, by testing I mean running the engine for extended periods of time, doing computer simulation, testing all the components separately. I know it has not flow yet, which is why I said, "...everything needs a first flight." No offense Tim but I'm sure people were having the same doubts before the 'rocket pack' flew.

WestPoint23,

Thanks for clearing that up. I had something different in mind when I was talking about testing than what you were talking about. I'm still ify about something that has never flown. Any engineer will tell you that ground tests are different from flight testing. For example is it stable and controlable in free flight?

You need to fly to find that out.

Tim

I'd fly it sure... after I'd a couple of months to test it myself.


Throw in a crash test dummy, some radio controls and hey presto, flight testing