新西兰公司生产的个人飞行器

Flying into the future: New Zealand company to make personal jet packs

Martin Aircraft Company, in Christchurch, New Zealand, aims to make 500 packs a year which will sell for around £50,000.

The 200 horsepower dual-propeller packs are the brainchild of inventor Glenn Martin who unveiled his machine for the first time in July last year.

Because it weighs less than 254 pounds (115kg) the jet pack does not require a pilot's licence. It is capable of travelling 30 miles in 30 minutes on a full tank of fuel.
And recent tests have seen the newest model reach heights of up to 2,400 metres and top speeds of 60mph.

But only now has sufficient investment been found for the company to begin production of the craft, which will also begin at an undisclosed site outside New Zealand.

Martin Aircraft Company chief executive Richard Lauder said the pack could be perfect for the emergency services, private users and even the military.

He said: "This could be life-saving stuff.

"For us this is an excellent commercial step.

Mr Lauder would not identify the partner other than to say it was an international aircraft company.

The joint venture would be run through a newly created company.

The aircraft company would have a controlling 51 per cent stake. Both Mr Lauder and jet pack inventor Glenn Martin would be directors of the new company.

相关中文报道（摘自博客园）

据英国《每日电讯报》报道，新西兰赖斯特彻奇的马丁飞机公司将一年生产500份个人喷射背包，每个售价5万英镑(约合55.7万)。设计者称这项发明使得普通人也能实现翱翔天空的梦想。 这款由新西兰航空设计师格伦·马丁(Glenn Martin)发明的个人喷射背包看上去更像是气垫船而不是喷气机。使用汽油的摩托发动机通过汽车风扇驱动两个200马力的双螺旋桨，螺旋桨在两个外表看似超大号汤罐的装置内水平旋转。

具体构造和操作

格伦·马丁称，这种涵道风扇设计比直升机无屏蔽发动机效率更高。发动机、燃料箱和飞行员处于升力扇中间及下方，以降低重力 中心，避免喷气背包在飞行过程中上下颠倒，撞向地面。

个人喷射背包的两个控制杆向前突出，适用于飞行员双手掌握。左侧是一个控制螺旋桨前后活动及向两侧倾斜的操纵杆，右侧的控制杆的作用相当于加速器，而发动机启动和停止开关及紧急降落伞的按键位于飞行员头部后面。

30分钟飞行48公里

这款个人喷射背包重约115公斤，并且不需要飞行员执照。它能够在30分钟内飞行48公里。最近的实验表明，它可以飞行到2400米的高度，最高时速能达到27米/秒。

用途广泛

马丁飞机公司首席执行官理查德·劳德(Richard Lauder)说，这种个人喷射背包适用于私人用户，甚至是军事应用也能达到很好的效果，对于消防局或者紧急救援也是理想的工具。