Company Auctions History Making Jetpack Flight On eBay
The country that brought the world jet boating and bungee
jumping has done it again, by now becoming the 'first' place in the
world where you can fly a jetpack.
New Zealand's Martin Aircraft Company unveiled its innovative
new aircraft, the Martin Jetpack, to the world last year.
Now they have announced another history making event, an auction
on eBay that will allow the winning bidder to become the first
person, outside their close development team, to fly the Martin
Jetpack as a fully fledged test pilot.
Aviation insiders will understand that it is highly unusual to
offer test pilot status by auction. But jetpack inventor Glenn
Martin points out "our aim is to make the easiest to fly aircraft
in the world. Because of the fly-by-wire systems we have
developed in the last year, we recently had a novice pilot fly solo
quite safely with 12 minutes of flight time."
"Whoever wins this auction, whether it's a highly qualified
pilot or someone who has never flown before, we will be able to
tailor a testing program for the jetpack that matches their skill,
adds Glenn."
The winning bidder will have to travel to Christchurch, New
Zealand, but once there they will receive Jetpack Test Pilot
Training that includes at least 6 flight sessions over 3 days of
training. The experience will be recorded by video camera,
and the pilot will be signed off as a Martin Jetpack test pilot,
and registered in company records for historical recognition.
Alternatively, they can bring up to 3 friends, who can each
share flying duties.
"Before the development of the Martin Jetpack there were more
people who had been to the moon than had flown a jetpack" says
Martin Aircraft Company's Chief Executive, Richard Lauder.
As a test pilot you will be flying in a controlled environment
under the supervision of the Martin Aircraft flight team. This team
of specialists has developed systems that have enabled them to
complete around 3000 test flights in the last year without
injury.
The successful bidder will also get to go behind the scenes with
the inventor and spend time with the avionic, technical and design
experts who've made the stuff of science fiction novels come to
life.
"It's not every day you get the chance to get up close and
personal with one of the most exciting inventions in aviation
history. If you love aviation or just fancy doing something
completely different that you'll be talking about for the rest of
your life, then this awe inspiring fantasy flight is for you", says
Mr Lauder.
The eBay auction runs until Thursday September 24th. The winner
must be over 18 years old, hold a current drivers license and weigh
less than 200 pounds. The Martin Jetpack Test Pilot program is held
at the Martin Aircraft Company in Christchurch, New Zealand.
When this first historic offer is completed, Martin Aircraft
Company's partner in this venture, Total Experience, will make
available a very limited number of individual and corporate flying
packages in the Martin Jetpack.