Hello Autogyro.
For a couple of minutes forget the gyroplanes and enjoy this
youtube video at
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=E81KQ7u3-7s .
It shows the most impressive – and the most useless at the same time – flying machine.
Quote from the Internet for the peroxide JetPack (or Bell Rocket Belt):
“The pack with its fuel weighed 125 lb (57 kg).”
“On 17 February 1961, the pack veered sharply, reaching the end of the safety tether, which then broke, causing the Moore (remark: he is the inventor of the JetPack) to fall approximately 2.5 meters, breaking his kneecap. He could no longer fly. Engineer Harold Graham took over as test pilot and testing resumed on 1 March. He then carried out 36 more tethered tests which enabled them to achieve stable control of the pack”
“On June 8, 1961, Harold Graham demonstrated Bell's "portable Army rocket" for the first time to an incredulous public. The flight saw Graham fly over a truck at a height of 15 feet landing 150 feet away after 14 seconds of air time. Nevertheless, the "ear-splitting" flight was described by the New York Times as "short but spectacular." By December 1961 Bell's 100-pound rocket belt would carry a man as high as 35 feet or a distance of 368 feet when barely skimming the ground.”
“In the course of testing maximums of duration and distance were achieved: duration 21 seconds; range 120 m; height 10 m; speed, 55 km/h.”
“Before the flight the timer is set for 21 seconds. When the pilot turns the handle for the takeoff, the timer begins counting and will give second-by-second signals to a buzzer in the pilot's helmet. In 15 seconds the signal becomes continuous, telling the pilot that it is time to land.”
“The pack's pilot wears protective overalls made of thermal resistant material, since the exhaust jet and the engine's pipes are very hot.”
“However, the army was disappointed. The maximum duration of flight of the rocket pack was 21 seconds, with a range of only 120 m. A large contingent of service personnel needed to accompany the rocket pack. During flight 5 U.S. gallons (19 liters) of hydrogen peroxide was expended.
In the opinion of the military, the "Bell Rocket Belt" was more a spectacular toy than an effective means of transport.”
End of quote
Think how much the world could change if the peroxide JetPack was capable to fly for two hours on cheap fuel, even if it was too noisy (as it is), even if it had no autorotation.
And now think again of the PatATi Portable Flyer as the evolution of the JetPack.
Both are:
vibration-free,
“reaction torque” free,
rid of gyroscopic rigidity,
based on a force that can "instantly" and effortlessly be vectored towards the desirable direction,
based on a pure manual control wherein the eyes, the brain and the body of the rider are the sensing and controlling mechanisms.
On the other hand the PatATi Portable Flyer:
has a several times smaller weight than the JetPack, making it true portable,
can fly for hours, while a JetPack can fly at most for less than half a minute,
etc.
Now imagine a wingsuiter:
with the PatATi Portable Flyer secured on his shoulders, flying horizontally at 250Km/h (150mph), or making acrobatics on the air, or participating in the Red Bull Air Race.
Thanks
Manolis Pattakos