Cool: Scientists create awesome new jetpack thing that will allow paratroopers to fly - PBX Info :: Your Free PBX, PABX and Telephone Information Resource

**rixride** · 05-31-2006, 09:39 AM

Paratroopers could fly 200km with new wings system

Austrian extreme parachuter Felix Baumgartner jumps out of a transport plane, unseen, above Dover, southern England, at an altitude of 10,000 metres, to cross the strait between England and France in an unpowered flight on Thursday. With a carbon-fibre wing fixed on his back, he flew the 35 kilometres to Calais, landing there with a parachute. With the new technology being developed by German firm Elektroniksystem und Logistik and Draeger, paratroopers will soon be able to truly fly. Photo courtesy RedBullby Staff Writers
London (AFP) May 26, 2006
A new military parachute system which fits wings on soldiers could enable them to travel to 200 kilometres (124 miles) after jumping, Jane's Defence Weekly defence magazine said Friday.
The system, which involves the development of new modular carbon-fibre wings, will mean that aircraft can drop parachutists from 30,000 feet (9,150 metres) into an area of operations without flying into a danger zone.
Trials of the modular wing are being developed by the German firm Elektroniksystem und Logistik and Draeger. They are due to finish by the end of 2006, with the entire parachute and wings combination expected to be available during 2007.
Peter Felstead, editor of Jane's Defence Weekly, said the new system has been in use with the German army since 2003, but the development of the new wing means soldiers can travel much further than the current 48 kilometres.
"The new wing will also reduce the impact of wind conditions on the jumper and allow operatives to travel up to 40 kilometres carrying loads of around 100 kilogrammes," Felstead said.
"The system is reportedly 100 percent silent and extremely difficult to track by air on ground-based radar systems." Jane's Defence Weekly reported that the next stage of the development will utilise small turbo-jet drives, as used on unmanned aerial vehicles, allowing jumpers to be carried longer distances without jumping from such extreme heights.

slagburn · 05-31-2006, 09:58 AM

I've seen a few things on TV about stuff like this... last dude I saw flew for about 50 miles before running of go juice in his 'jet' pack.

***Lmo*** · 05-31-2006, 09:58 AM

Wow! 30,000 feet! Not sure I'd want to be up that high flying around by myself, but this could be better than having a private plane. Course it's gonna litter up the skies for the jets. It could be pretty ugly to be flying along and get sucked into a jet engine.

slagburn · 05-31-2006, 10:09 AM

You would have to be one seriously unlucky person / pilot to get sucked into a jet engine / hit someone with all of the factors involved.

**rixride** · 05-31-2006, 10:21 AM

Well if you get enough of these things in the sky, You know skydivers are going to love it, it will become recreational. But how do you keep from running into each other. YOu get 40-50 people all in on "air space" zooming around it could lead to trouble.

I guess what is neat is that you still have a parachute to fall back on if the pack fails, wing breaks, run into a large bird or something similiar.

Would be a wild ride.

Pirates_Ghost · 05-31-2006, 11:26 AM

No mention on the steerablity of the device, however...

***gei_spot*** · 05-31-2006, 11:30 AM

I thought a guy already did this with one of these about a couple of years ago. He flew across the English channel from France to England.

***Lmo*** · 05-31-2006, 01:35 PM

How comfortable could it be to be 30,000 feet off the ground?

Dont know this is how I'd want to fly. Besides, back in the day when I was on the road, no matter what else the day entailed, if I knew I was flying, I knew I was going to get a nap. If I was at home for a weekend, I'd go on a minimum of sleep all weekend, and then once I got back on the plane to go back to the job, I was asleep almost as soon as my butt hit the seat. Most times, I was asleep before the plane was completely boarded, and was never awake for the safety announcement;sometimes the flight attendants woke me up to kick me off the plane. Then I'd change clothes in the airport restroom and be off to work some 3rd shift somewhere.
This fly yourself thingy would ruin my entire nap plan.

***Lmo*** · 05-31-2006, 01:43 PM

And then there's another ugly thought...NO FREQUENT FLIER MILES!

How many companies would buy a set of wings and make people use 'the company wings'? NO WAY!

slagburn · 06-01-2006, 01:11 AM

I think the key word is DROP from 30,000 ft... I would imagine that they fly a bit lower as it tends to be a tad difficult to breath up in those altitudes which is why they pressurize airplanes to about a 5000 - 6000ft level if memory serves.

From what I've read many of the HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) military guys who jump from commercial planes at those altitudes have an oxygen supply.

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