SAFETY

Any activity involving speed, heights, water or power equipment are inherently risky. Jetlev flying is no exception, but our extensive research on relative safety indicates that this activity is less dangerous than common outdoor activities such as driving, cycling, riding ATVs or personal watercrafts, waterskiing, parasailing, downhill skiing, or even playing basketball.

Safety has always been top priority throughout the Jetlev’s design and development process. We evaluated relative safety from three perspectives: passive safety, active accident avoidance, and minimizing risks and severity of injuries. The Jetlev excels at all three areas.

PASSIVE SAFETY

  • For a jetpack, the Jetlev-Flyer has excellent inherent stability. The pilot´s center of gravity is well below the thrust planes of the nozzles which ensure fore-aft (pitch) and side-to-side (roll) stability. Since the mass of water in the supply hose increases with height, stability increases further from both mass and lower center of gravity.
  • Throttle and nozzle pitch controls are designed to stay at any settings determined by the rider to avoid inadvertent falls when the throttle grip is released, while roll- and yaw-moment controls are self-centering and provide good tactile feedback to the rider.
  • The design of the jetpack thrust assembly allows the major forces of lift, gravity, drag and propulsion to achieve equilibrium very quickly to achieve stable flight. Nozzle control is isolated from its thrusts and only a few ounces of effort are needed.
  • The pivoting supply tube assembly minimizes pitching moments, and drag from the hose greatly increases forward directional stability in flight.
  • Our effective training program helps reduce pilot errors.
  • Our operating procedures also add to the safety equation by mandating qualified instructors and supervised operation, keeping pilots over deep waters, and banning reckless behaviour.
  • The Jetlev-Flyer´s water jets operate at relatively low pressures. They do not bruise the pilot’s legs or damage skin or hair. Also, the longer they travel, the more the water drops slow down from air friction. The jets have very mild impact forces after they descend 30 feet. Hands and arms should be kept away from direct impact by the jets to avoid possible bruising.

ACTIVE ACCIDENT AVOIDANCE

  • The Jetlev has the ability to hover, stop quickly and reverse directions in the air.
  • Even in the rare event of a jammed throttle, an expert pilot can maintain the Jetlev in stationery hover.

MINIMIZING RISKS

  • Flying in a jetpack maintains the pilot’s body in a primarily vertical posture. In the rare occasion of a fall, this body posture is the safest because it presents the lowest surface area for impact and large leg muscles provide the most strength to absorb impacts.
  • The water hose limits flight altitudes to less than 30 feet and water serves as an excellent safety net at normal operating heights and speeds. Vertical entry speed is no more than 30 mph and has been well-proven by 10 m platform divers to be low in risk.
  • Mandatory Type II or III Coast Guard approved PFD provides impact cushioning and floatation.
  • The saddle provides protection for lower body orifices against injuries from water impact.
  • The jetpack is bouyant.
  • Since the pilot is strapped securely to the jetpack, and the back rest supports the pilot from head to hip, fall impact with the water is absorbed gradually and simultaneously over large areas of the body, and there are little opportunities for secondary collisions to occur between the pilot and the jetpack.
  • Quick-release body harness allows quick egress by pilot should it be necessary.
  • In the rare event of the pilot falling on the boat unit, the lack of impalement hazards and gradual absorption of energy by the boat’s buoyancy will greatly reduce the risks and severity of injuries.