Old news, but still very impressive nevertheless. I have looked more closely at the footage again and from what I can see, this Jetpack does not seem to be fitted with a parachute.
Now take a look at this video. This static model in contrast is fitted with the black parachute module (functioning or not), just behind where the pilots head is.
As on this occasion, Mike Read, a former Australian Air Force pilot, having also flown the Airbus A330 MRTT as a captain (hence the joystick control skills), is wearing just a SpareAir device, but no parachute. SpareAir is a small SCUBA system, capable of supplying a person with enough air to get a person to the water surface in an out-of-air emergency.
So in both demonstrations, Mike was extremely courageous and doing a great job for the company, especially considering the prescribed safety ceiling for over land & over water flights:
Here is what I think and this is just my suspicion!!!
They might be having problems getting the ballistic parachute certified and this is why they did not conduct a manned flight in Wanaka.
Looking at MJP's website, you can also see that several positions, avertised since the end of January, have apparently still not been filled. So here is another problem: qualified staffing, other than marketing managers. Also, the new engine is supposedly being manufactured in England and each of these units would then have to be shipped to Christchurch at a considerable cost (shipping, taxes, etc.):
My first preference would have been with MJP being absorbed by another large and experienced airframe manufacturer (e.g. Lockheed Martin comes to mind). But this seems to be more difficult now, with Kuang-Chi Ltd. having obtained a controlling stake of 52%. Given that the core market for these jetpacks would be Asia, China, India and America, why not shift production into these regions?
Please and to everyone reading these posts (including the HC moderator), do not get me wrong. I would love to see this company succeed, to be successful, to be a significant NZ invention, but I remain highly sceptical if they alone can pull this off from Christchurch.
Please MJP, prove me wrong .... and equally important, be transparent and keep everyone informed, good news or bad.
