I saw the guy fly this thing, guess it was 35 years ago. It was quick. He went up like a rocket. And down just about as fast. You wouldn't believe how damn loud it was--I mean really, really loud!
> It's Puff Daddy doing the jet pack for some MTV thing. I can't believe he got to do that. It's called hi-test monofiliment and the suspension of disbelief.
Yep, it's real. The original one WAS used in the James Bond movie (maybe Thunderball?) - although not with Mr Connery flying it. They used to fly around at Superbowls and such quite often. It was a kind of step up from the guy parachuting into the stadium.I believe it used compressed gas of some kind rather than an actual burning rocket engine. I think the reason it looks like he's on a wire is that he is literally hanging from the device, so he kind of flops around a bit as if he's just hanging there (which in fact he is). The recent TV show had quite a bit of detail about the workings and history of it, but my old brain cells can't retain information for that long anymore, sorry.
For those of you with an attention span of over half a day, here are the answers to some of your concerns:Yes it is real. They were developed by Bell back in the sixties. So yeah, it's old news. So what? The design was sold to Williams Research. As far as I am aware, only one guy has ever flown this thing, but he's been filmed in a James Bond movie, and at the Superbowl and at fairs. I've seen him fly once, and as I said above, it's awesome and LOUD and quick. He only has enough fuel for about a minute of flight. It works using highly-concentrated hydrogen peroxide against a nickel catalyst. When the H2O2 hits the catalyst in a reaction chamber above the pilot's head, it violently turns to steam. The steam is split into two tubes which conduct the steam thru two nozzles above the pilot's shoulders. The assembly is gimballed so that the pilot's center of gravity hangs from the chamber/nozzle. That's how he moves front-back and side-side, by shifting the center of gravity. That's also why it looks like he's hanging from a wire.I have no idea what Puff Daddy did. Someone else will have to explain that.
crustyoldmanDec 27, 2005
I saw the guy fly this thing, guess it was 35 years ago. It was quick. He went up like a rocket. And down just about as fast. You wouldn't believe how damn loud it was--I mean really, really loud!
youdontmeanmuchDec 27, 2005
Thats awsome? I don?t know why a cheaper version isn?t in mass production as we speak. Oh wait never mind it?s probably a little dangerous.
Closed AccountDec 27, 2005
> It's Puff Daddy doing the jet pack for some MTV thing. I can't believe he got to do that. It's called hi-test monofiliment and the suspension of disbelief.
thorpeDec 27, 2005
The only way I'm going to use one of them is on San Andreas.
skippy2057Dec 27, 2005
Yep, it's real. The original one WAS used in the James Bond movie (maybe Thunderball?) - although not with Mr Connery flying it. They used to fly around at Superbowls and such quite often. It was a kind of step up from the guy parachuting into the stadium.I believe it used compressed gas of some kind rather than an actual burning rocket engine. I think the reason it looks like he's on a wire is that he is literally hanging from the device, so he kind of flops around a bit as if he's just hanging there (which in fact he is). The recent TV show had quite a bit of detail about the workings and history of it, but my old brain cells can't retain information for that long anymore, sorry.
cyberdactylDec 27, 2005
LOL. . .hehe. . .I can't believe these giblet brains think this is fake.Single man lifters from hydrogen peroxide rocketry has been around since the early 60's. <a class="user" href="http://www.tecaeromex.com/ingles/peroxidoi.html">http://www.tecaeromex.com/ingles/peroxidoi.html</a>
crustyoldmanDec 27, 2005
For those of you with an attention span of over half a day, here are the answers to some of your concerns:Yes it is real. They were developed by Bell back in the sixties. So yeah, it's old news. So what? The design was sold to Williams Research. As far as I am aware, only one guy has ever flown this thing, but he's been filmed in a James Bond movie, and at the Superbowl and at fairs. I've seen him fly once, and as I said above, it's awesome and LOUD and quick. He only has enough fuel for about a minute of flight. It works using highly-concentrated hydrogen peroxide against a nickel catalyst. When the H2O2 hits the catalyst in a reaction chamber above the pilot's head, it violently turns to steam. The steam is split into two tubes which conduct the steam thru two nozzles above the pilot's shoulders. The assembly is gimballed so that the pilot's center of gravity hangs from the chamber/nozzle. That's how he moves front-back and side-side, by shifting the center of gravity. That's also why it looks like he's hanging from a wire.I have no idea what Puff Daddy did. Someone else will have to explain that.