Do you think these could be come the next small thing in military "Aviation"?

[NutLoose]

see


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztx2Wud7-hY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftbdPspfRBY


Air Flyboard: the flying board that beats a hoverboard (http://www.redbull.com/uk/en/adventure/stories/1331788252729/air-flyboard-the-flying-board-that-beats-a-hoverboard)

The brainchild of Marseille-based inventor Franky Zapata and his Zapata Racing (http://zapata-racing.com/uncategorized/la-nouvelle-invention-zr-flyboard-air/) team,the Air Flyboard is purported to be able to reach a maximum speed of 90mph, and an altitude of 10,000ft. That's 10,000ft. Up in the actual sky.

[pasta]

That's a pretty impressive (albeit terrifying) bit of engineering...

[CoffmanStarter]

I'll wait until the afterburner variant is available Nutty :E

[pasta]

I'll wait until the afterburner variant is available Nutty
Wouldn't work for me; been a while since I was compliant with the area rule...

[langleybaston]

**** me!

I could have done with one of those on more than one occasion!

[CoffmanStarter]

What for a WX Check Langley ... That would have made your nose bleed somewhat ;)

[ian16th]

Do you think these could be come the next small thing in military "Aviation"?Cynical old sod that I am, think of the terrorist/criminal applications.

[FinelyChopped]

Looks like the Green Goblin got it right in the Spiderman films.

[MPN11]

Would beards create drag, thus reducing speed and [presumably] payload?

[sitigeltfel]

I have watched Franky demonstrating flyboards and those water jet boots at Cavalaire sur Mer. The guy is certifiable! ;)

[Danny42C]

Fella called Icarus tried that and came unstuck. Thing seems to work all right, though, Am bit too old for that caper now, I'm afraid. The SAR inflatable "chase boats" were having a whale of a time.

Can see plenty of applications. You could give him a butterfly net to field all the drones (or a 12-bore). A lot cheaper than a chopper for traffic surveillance. Could mark the ringleader of (say) a riot, and pin-point him to police. Could put m/bike couriers out of business.

What happens if you have a flame-out ?

Danny.

[taxydual]

What happens if you have a flame-out ?

Gravity

[mopardave]

I want one! Anyone know what a kidney will fetch on the open market?

[dynamics]

Sure looks like fun! Reminds me of the 1950's Hiller Pawnee...

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c2/Hiller_VZ-1_Pawnee_%282%29.jpg

Same thing, different era. :cool:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hiller_VZ-1_Pawnee_(2).jpg

[NutLoose]

What for a WX Check Langley ... That would have made your nose bleed somewhat I have visions of him shooting up vertically, spooling out his tape measure as he goes to check the cloud base, whilst checking his thermometer in his other hand at the same time..


..

[Buster Hyman]

I'd need one for each leg.

[tartare]

That is just mental.
So - is that just a Bell Rocket belt with the nozzles on the foot platform instead?
I assume from the sound and instant thrust it's rocket powered and not turbine?
Or are those model aircraft turbines at the side?
The exhaust efflux also looks turbine like - confused.
Personally if flying the damn thing I'd be zoom climbing out of the dead man's curve asap on take off!
Where's his ballistic parachute??!!

That Monaco video sure sounds like a model aircraft turbine.

[BEagle]

Ever more inventive methods of certain aeronautical suicide....

[Lantern10]

Certainly a neat bit of gear.

[langleybaston]

If I had used one for measuring cloud base I would have had one hand on controls and the other in the free kick position, never mind the thermometer!

[NutLoose]

There is another place you could stick the thermometer then, and I don't mean your mouth :E

[Danny42C]

Don't fancy it at my age. Fella called Icarus tried it and came unstuck. Can see why he prefers to fly over water (SAR chase inflatibles have some fun, though !)

Danny,

[langleybaston]

QUOTE:

There is another place you could stick the thermometer then, and I don't mean your mouth

Oh how extremely co arse!

[GlobalNav]

This is what naval aviation always should have been. ;)

[NutLoose]

QUOTE:

There is another place you could stick the thermometer then, and I don't mean your mouth

Oh how extremely co arse! I should imagine hurtling skyward to the cloud base they would be well and truly clenched, with no chance of it dropping out , well, unless you have an engine failure that is, and then would go into pucker mode. :E

[Brewers Droop]

Wow!

Another strong field of candidates for the Darwin Awards this year.....

http://www.darwinawards.com/darwin/

[Wageslave]

As to what powers it, at 1:56 there is a brief glimpse of six(?) glowing red discs/circular objects under the board. I'd originally thought a rocket the motor most likely (perhaps H2O2 catalytic type for simplicity) but these do look more like turbines (model jet engines). Six for redundancy would certainly make sense as a failure of a sole power source would have a very unhappy result.
I think a damn good life jacket is more important than a parachute.

"Model" jet engines can produce up to 50lb thrust, apparently, and cost under $5,000. Smaller ones much cheaper. Looks quite doable, if you have the cojones to fly it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ztx2Wud7-hY

[Tourist]

Expensive to make a slight miscalculation.....

I can't imagine that any turbine will take well to a sudden dunking at even low power let alone whilst working hard.