Martin Jetpack Climbs 5000 Feet Above Sea Level 178
rh2600 writes "For years the Martin Jetpack has stayed just a few feet off the ground, invoking frequent suspicion about its true abilities. Well, today that all changed [video] with the first climb test in New Zealand (with weighted crash-test dummy) reaching over 5,000 feet above sea level. The emergency parachute test was also a success. Kiwis can indeed fly."
Not really a jetpack (Score:3, Interesting)
A jetpack should be no bigger than a hiker's backpack. This thing is more like a small aircraft.
They should add a wing (Score:4, Interesting)
The pack is big and bulky enough that the addition of a small wing won't make much of a difference. With a wing, you can transition from vertical takeoff using thrust only, to horizontal wing-borne flight which uses much less power (and/or achieves a much higher speed).