Luxury Gadgetry: If the thought of flying an airplane solo is not adventurous enough for you, how about strapping a rocket to your body and flying without wings? Well, a taste of the future is available today as Jet Pack International is taking pre-orders for its Jet Pack T-73 model, which is expected to be available in December 2007. The personal flying aircraft, which runs on Jet-A fuel, is listed at $200,000. However, obtaining one is not as simple as laying down the dough, buckling up, and taking off.
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Very extensive training is a prerequisite to ensure that flyers don't just fly waywardly or, literally, die trying. Specifics on the required training before owning the T-73 are not yet listed on the company's Web site. The body rocket's estimated flight time and distance is 19 minutes and 27 miles, respectively. Top speed is around 83 mph, and its altitude is approximately 250 feet. The T-73 averages just over five miles per gallon, and the fuel tank holds only five gallons. The maximum weight of a T-73 pilot is 180 pounds. So, along with the submitting to heavy-duty training and having large cash, flyers also need to be in tip-top condition.
Troy Widgery and John Hewat are the wizards behind the curtain of Jet Pack International. Since childhood, Troy has dreamt of developing a personal flying machine like the one he saw James Bond fly in the film Thunderball. The reality-based inspiration of the T-73 stems from the first personal flyer built in the 1960s by Bell Aerosystems.
The high-flying company also has an entertainment side. The Go Fast Jet Pack team, which consists of four pilots who awesomely demonstrate personal flying machines in action, has wowed audiences throughout the world. They have appeared at sporting events, musical festivals, and various large-scale events. For those seeking a new career path, pilots are wanted. It is definitely a job for zealous multi-taskers seeking a uniquely challenging position. Getting high on the job is absolutely mandatory.
Although Jet Pack International's Web site is a work in progress, the videos on it are spectacular. Rest assured you'll get your money's worth!
For LxM James Rothaar
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