Man Soars Across Royal Gorge with Jet Pack

A previous test flight of the jet pack. (Image credit: Jet Pack International)

Like some real James Bond, complete with absolutely no backup plan, Eric Scott soared over a 1,500-foot wide, 1,053-foot deep section of the Royal Gorge in Colorado yesterday.

With only 33 seconds of fuel and no parachute, Scott set records for distance, height (with a little help from the gorge) and speed, according to the Denver Post (see video & photo).

"Fear either makes people suck it up and get it right or they lose it," Scott said. "I'm the Evel Knievel that makes it to the other side."

The stunt was a promotional effort by the Go Fast energy drink company and manufacturer Jet Pack International.

Jet packs have a long history in Hollywood, but the concept has struggled to get off the ground in the real world. Another one, made by inventor Glenn Martin, was tested earlier this year in a 45-second, highly controlled hovering effort — all just a few feet off the ground.

Similarly promising and long-awaited: The flying car.

Video - Aviation Oddities
Top 5 Bond Gadgets

This article is from the LiveScience Water Cooler: What people are talking about in the world of science and beyond.

TOPICS

Robert is an independent health and science journalist and writer based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a former editor-in-chief of Live Science with over 20 years of experience as a reporter and editor. He has worked on websites such as Space.com and Tom's Guide, and is a contributor on Medium, covering how we age and how to optimize the mind and body through time. He has a journalism degree from Humboldt State University in California.