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Resilience, confidence and self belief: these are all
traits an Olympian, Paralympian or world champion
needs to compete at top level. They are traits we
all need to succeed in life, whatever we choose to
do. But they are also what many young people lack,
through no fault of their own. Every young person the
DKH Legacy Trust supports is mentored by a world
class athlete, giving them the chance to be the best
they can be.
Will you support Dame Kelly Holmes’ vision to engage, enable
and empower disadvantaged young people?
So far we’ve reached 104,000 young people...
By 2016 we’ll reach 200,000
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28 • Touchline • Issue 16
“It’s a mixture of scary and just awesome,” James Boker, who was
the pilot for the indoor test, said.
“Flying it remotely with just a dummy means you can see the
aircraft and so you can see everything that happens, but when
you’re actually in it, it’s all behind you and you just get lifted off
the ground,” he said. “It’s just awesome.”
The Jetpack has been designed with safety in mind. It comes
complete with roll cage, parachute and shock-absorbing
undercarriage. However, it is obviously being treated with a great
deal of care by authorities. Any device that can send a human
5000 feet in the air should be investigated scrupulously. It will
be interesting to see how insurance companies perceive the
dangers of using the device.
The CAA confirmed that the “test flying was subject to strict
limitations covering required safety procedures. Other restrictions
included that it may not be flown more than 20 feet (six metres)
above the ground or 25 feet (7.6 metres) above water and is
limited to two specific test flight areas over uninhabited land.”
While it may be still two years before it will be available for
purchase, there have already been over 30 preorders. It is not
anticipated that the Jetpack will require a pilot’s licence for use.
In fact, the company concept has it moving away from the notion
of it being an aircraft: “We are about to enter a stage that is
going to change the whole concept of light aircraft – this is the
motorbike of the sky,” says Peter Coker, the chief executive of the
Martin Aircraft Company.
The commercial appeal of the jetpack is obvious, but it has a
variety of other applications. The military have a keen interest
in the development of the jetpack, as it can be used for
covet missions and intelligence gathering, Search and rescue
associations look on with interest, as sometimes helicopters
cannot be used effectively in smaller areas.
And then there is sport. It is hard to imagine the jetpack not
being enrolled in some ball sport in the air. Quiditch for the 21st
century, if you will.
New Zealand is a centre for innovation, having invented (or
at least mined the commercial potential) of bungee jumping,
zorbing and the jet-boat. The jetpack may just have the greatest
and most varied application of any New Zealand invention.