Paul Dow (Remove CAPS in address) wrote:
I just heard from Martin (through EAA Radio) that they won't be flying
again this week. They say they've been overworked and tired, so they
don't want fatigue causing an accident. There was also talk about
insurance issues, but it seems like the pilot capability issue trumped
that.

Paul Dow (Remove CAPS in address) wrote:
I was listening to the EAA webcast, and they said that the FAA
required them to hang on the the thing during that demo because of all
the people standing in the area. There's supposed to be a better demo
during today or tomorrow's airshow where it will lift off away from
everyone. In any case, it isn't a "Jet", but a ducted fan. Sounds like
a big leaf blower.

Anthony W wrote:
Ted wrote:
I totally agree with Tony...even in the company's demonstration
video 2 people are always there "walking" the flyer....sort-of
reminds me just abit of the Mollier Flying Car or whatever it's
called. It DOES look like a lot of FUN, though!!! I also hope the
thing succeeds....30 minutes running on this as they say is so much
better than the 43 seconds that the "Go Fast Sports" JetPack can
fly. Ted

I think this think is pretty much a Moller for one. If it ever gets
more than 5' off the ground it will be very unstable.

Tony

It's supposed to be fairly stable because the thrust reaction point is
well above the CG, so there is a strong pendulum effect. They claim
it's better than a helicopter.

I spoke with one of the promoters at the convention and asked about the
engine failure issue. The engine is a liquid cooled V4 which I assumed
was a marine engine. Like Moller they will be relying on one of those
"zero-zero" (almost) ballistic parachutes that use an explosive device
to spread the canopy when there is line stretch so that in theory it is
already inflated before you've moved down more than 10 or 20 feet or
something like that. Below the parachute safety altitude, they are
relying on a kind of shock strut that sticks down between your legs to
absorb the fall and save your back, which is supposed to be effective to
about 10 feet.

It's the middle zone between the parachute minimum altitude and the
shock strut that they don't account for, and they haven't tested a
parachute yet to see just what the "dead man's" altitude range is. In
any event, anybody flying the thing will be working to spend as little
time as possible between 5-10 feet and the altitude that the parachute
is effective. You sure wouldn't get me in the damn thing.

They sold one of them by Thursday. 100 grand. Crazy.

John