Australian Entrepreneur Develops True, Jet-Turbine-Powered Personal Flying Device

Science Fiction became science fact in New York this week when for the first time in history, an aviator flew by jetpack in a controlled and sustained flight around Statue of Liberty.

Soaring high across the Hudson River, Australian entrepreneur David Mayman became the first person to prove the viability of personal flying devices. Mayman's flight was the culmination of a 10 year challenge to design and build a light-weight, wearable flying device that will allow people to take to the skies.

The JB-19 is small enough to sit in the back seat of a car but powerful enough to fly thousands of feet high.

The JB-9 jetpack, approved for the flight by the FAA and US Coast Guard, was developed by legendary Hollywood inventor (and winner of 3 Academy Awards), Nelson Tyler and Mayman. The miniature jet-turbine back pack is fast, powerful, and unlike rocket powered belts, safe and practical to operate.

Tyler and Mayman have spent millions of dollars and thousands of hours secretly developing the device which has never before been seen in public. Their struggle has been documented over the last eight years by an Emmy-award winning film team.

Becoming a real life Ironman has been a lifelong dream of Mayman, a successful technology and mining entrepreneur who is also an accomplished helicopter and fixed wing pilot.

David says "it was an incredible experience, one I have been dreaming of since I was a young boy, it's the culmination of decades of work by Nelson and me," said Tyler. "But today is just the beginning. We have established the company JetPack Aviation to continue R&D and commercialize our invention. We have just proved that personal flight is a reality, it's here and we will stay at the forefront of this."

"It would be wonderful if one day this opens the door to a vast new industry of affordable personal air transportation with applications for search and rescue, law enforcement, disaster relief and recreation," said Nelson. "We will continue to develop the technology and have already created an extraordinary machine, truly the only jetpack in the world."

(Images provided with Jetpack Aviation news release)

FMI: www.jetpackaviation.com