It’s 2013. AKA the future.
Weren’t we promised jetpacks?
Yep. Here you go: personal jetties from Martin Jetpack, available now for pre-order.
Why now? The New Zealand-based Martin just cleared a final regulatory/aviation hurdle for its P12, a Class 1 microlight “motorbike in the sky.”
About seven feet high and wide and weighing 400 pounds, the two-engine P12 is considered the world’s first “practical” jetpack. As in, not ridiculous or speculative.
It runs about 30 minutes – good for around 18 miles – achieving a cruising speed of 35 MPH. It can ascend up to 5,000 vertical feet.
Thanks to cruise control, you can hover at any point.
All it needs to run: regular gasoline and a little oil. And some “basic aviation training.”
For safety’s sake, the unit features a ballistic parachute and a shock-absorbing undercarriage. And you’ll be wearing a flameproof suit (included) anyway.
Currently the P12 is restricted to non-urban airspace, with future use as a commuter vehicle “not inconceivable.” Pre-orders start at $150,000, with military, government agencies and emergency responders cutting the line.
So if you order now, yours won’t be ready until next July.
The future’ll have to wait a bit longer.
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