All you need to know of Martin jetpack - the best personal flying vehicle

Have you always been captivated by the antics of The Rocketeer, or do you consider the ultimate weapon of the Kick-Ass to be nigh poetic? If so, then the fantastically fascinating Martin jet-pack is certainly for you. Touted as the world's first 'recreational' jet-pack for a single person, this outlandish contraption can make all your flying dreams come true.

Martin jetpack

Those conspicuously bulky twin ducted fans are powered by a 2.0 L V4 2 stroke petrol engine (rated at 200 hp or 150 kW) with maximum rpm of 6000. These fans in turn are safely designed for a final thrust, which can facilitate vertical take-off as well as landing for the lucky adventurer involved in the solo 'flight'.

Coming to the material, the jet-pact is constructed from a sturdy yet lightweight carbon fiber composite, which makes the total weight of the machine at around a paltry 250 lbs (112.5 kg). The dimensions stand at 5 ft high x 5.5 ft wide x 5 ft long, while the jet can take off to an estimated altitude of 8000 ft (2439 m).

What’s great?

Beyond the prodigiously novel factor, the aircraft (if we daresay) actually gives substantial level of performance with 30 minutes of flight and a top speed of 100 kmph. More importantly, the designers have meticulously incorporated a multitude of safety measures, so that you don't end up as just another casualty after your brief blaze of glory. These include a back-up engine system and also a button that triggers an emergency parachute. Moreover, beyond the scope of just recreation, this conception (if developed sufficiently) can be made applicable in other fields such as rescue missions, military exercises and even as a conventional transportation device.

What's not so great?

Given the comparatively light frame of the machine, it can carry a weight (of a person) ranging from 140-240 lbs (63-108 kg). This certainly crashes the dream of us 'well built' ones. Furthermore, another stringent safety measure only allows the aircraft to used above a body of water, not land. This certainly diminishes its scope of user functionality, especially in comparison to conventional modes of transportation.

Things to watch out for

Firstly, the total conception with its entire propensity is the primary thing to watch out for. While it comes off as a completely enthralling piece of machinery, the designers have put sufficient effort in the safety factor of the conception. For example, in a worst case scenario if the engine fails and you are fast going down, you can always easily deploy a ballistic parachute that has the adequate strength to curtail the downward motion.

And what's more - in actuality one would not require any special license for this sort of flight. Of course it's always feasible to go through a convenient training program given by Martin Aircraft itself.

Pricing and availability

Currently there are two versions of the sensational flying craft. The expected price tag will be around a whopping $100,000. But then again, nobody said - awesomeness comes cheap.

Verdict

A full fledged personal flying machine has always belonged to the realm of sci-fi fantasy (and superhero comics). But Martin Aircraft has made it possible with their sheer yet simplistic engineering prowess. Moreover, they are already in a development phase regarding their UAV prototype crafts. This will certainly help in improving the performance, thrust, safety, flight pattern and overall mechanism of the upcoming future iterations of the Martin jet-pack. So all in all - anyone with a flight fetish - this is perhaps the singularly greatest thing to come in your lifetime.

Word around the web

Gizmag says:

There is always risk associated with flying so Martin Aircraft has been careful to equip the pack with redundant systems that will take over in the event that the main system goes down.

Control-wise, pitch and roll are controlled by one hand, thrust and yaw by the other. Finally, you have weigh between 140-240 pounds to be allowed to fly one of these.