Dubai company builds jet-powered wingsuit

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it Tony Stark? No, it’s Jetman Dubai’s wingsuit. The Iron Man-like suit is a major innovation in the jetpack world. The company recently tested the suit’s ability to reach a high altitude and recorded the entire experiment.

Jetman pilot Vince Reffett took off from a standing position on the runway at Skydive Dubai in the United Arab Emirates over the weekend. He managed to reach 1,800m in altitude, according to CNN Business.

This is the first time a Jetman pilot has launched from the ground, in the past pilots launched from elevated platforms. Reffett travelled at 241 km per hour, reaching an altitude of 1,000 metres in 30 seconds.

At the end of his three-minute flight, Reffet performed a roll and a loop at 1,800m altitude, before opening his parachute at 1,500m and landing back at Skydive Dubai.

In a statement, Reffett said: ‘We are so happy we achieved this incredible flight. It’s the result of extremely thorough teamwork, where each small step generated huge results. Everything was planned to the split second, and I was overjoyed by the progress that was achieved. It is another step in a long-term project. One of the next objectives is to land back on the ground after a flight at altitude, without needing to open a parachute. It’s being worked on.’