Yves Rossy (Jetman) flying in his jetpack invention
Yves Rossy is a Swiss inventor who flies through the air with the greatest of ease – – in a jetpack!
A backpack with carbon-fiber wings and four jet engines, Rossy’s jetpack is classified as an aircraft by The United States Federal Aviation Administration. Rossy launches off by jumping from a helicoptor or plane, and lands using a parachute, but once he’s in the air, he’s able to fly alongside other aircraft, explore landscapes and even do loop de loops.
Watch how graceful and fun Yves makes piloting his jetpack in the following videos. I haven’t used a jetpack since Halo:REACH, when I switched to bumper-jumper, but maybe someday I’ll get to fly in one irl. A girl can dream, can’t she?
The future is now…
Jetman in Oshkosh
Jetman Glider
Edit: Looks like there is a jetpack of another variety set to be available to the public “by the end of 2015”: The Martin Jetpack. This one operates more like what we see in video games. You can reserve a Martin with a minimum deposit of $5,000. The target price is around $150,000.
Sources: Yves’ Official Site (jetman.com), Wikipedia, Martin Jetpack