The Americas, Weird, Odd & Just Plain Fun



Hot on the heels of “Jetman” and “Junior Jetman’s” 1000ft flight alongside an Emirates plane, video of Australian David Mayman using the “world’s only jetpack” to fly around the Statue of Liberty is taking the internet by storm.

David Mayman uses the world's only jetpack to fly around the Statue of Liberty in New York.

David Mayman uses the world’s only jetpack to fly around the Statue of Liberty in New York. Image by Screengrab from YouTube

The video, shot on 3 November, shows Mayman flying over the Hudson River then circling the iconic statue. In an interview with Australia’s Triple J radio, Mayman explained he wasn’t able to take in the scenery as he was too focused on the task at hand. “I was just doing my job the best I could, and then when I landed it was this huge sigh of relief – I sat down and had a beer and thought, okay, that’s done, what’s next?”

While the JB-9 has been some 10 years in the making, Mayman has been fascinated with the idea of creating a jetpack since he was 15 years old. Developed by Hollywood inventor Nelson Tyler, who also happens to be the winner of three Academy Awards, the JB-9 can fly for up to 12 minutes at speeds of up to 100km per hour. Not content to rest on their laurels, Mayman’s team at Jetpack Aviation are currently working on the JB-10, which will reach speeds of up to 250km per hour.

David Mayman sets off on his jetpack adventure in New York.

David Mayman sets off on his jetpack adventure in New York. Image by Screengrab from YouTube

Mayman claims the JB-9 is the only ‘true’ jetpack in existence as you can take off with it and land vertically. “So if you can imagine walking out your front door and being able to take off from your porch.”

Sadly for us jetpacks are not commercially available at the moment. And when they are, they are likely to be prohibitively expensive, with Mayman saying they are “never going to be as cheap as a midrange car”.

Though they may not meet Mayman’s strict definition of a jetpack, a New Zealand company is currently taking orders for the Martian Jetpack, with deliveries scheduled in 2017. While Swiss “Jetman” Yvves Rossy has staged a number of flights over the past few years using strap-on wings powered by small jet turbine engines, the latest of which saw him take to the skies with an Emirates A380.

Watch the video here.

Read also: Look away if scared of heights: jetmen fly alongside Emirates jumbo at 4000ft