They promised us flying cars, back in the day, and I don’t know about you but mine hasn’t been delivered yet. Never mind. For the time being I’ll settle for one of these.
The Martin Jetpack, developed by New Zealand’s Martin Aircraft Company (MAC), demonstrates just how far jetpack technology has come since Rocketman ignited the imaginations of little (and big) boys with his demonstration at the ’84 Olympics in Los Angeles.
MAC recently signed a $12 million joint-venture deal to start production of the world’s first commercially available jetpack. The jetpack is powered by a 200 horsepower gasoline engine and can reach a top speed of just over 60mph, an altitude of 8,000 feet and fly for approximately 30 minutes on a full tank of fuel.
Each jetpack is expected to sell for $75,000, with private sales to commence later this year. MAC CEO Richard Lauder said the joint venture would build Martin Jetpacks at an overseas factory, with the aim of making 500 units generating annual turnover of $100 million within three years.
