Jet back to Oshkosh

Christchurch inventor Glenn Martin, 49, will make another appearance, albeit without his Martin Jetpack, at this year’s EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin to report on the progress of his personal flying machine, to give seminars and to meet with key industry suppliers and advisors. His company, New Zealand-based Martin Aircraft Co., unveiled the Martin Jetpack, which aims to allow people to fly through the air without being inside a traditional aircraft, last summer in Oshkosh. Since the last AirVenture show, Martin said he’s been working to improve the jetpack’s “flyability, usability and reliability.” “In fact, the machine is becoming much easier to fly, such that my 11-year-old son William had a two hour training session and then could then hover,” he said. His intent was to create a recreational aircraft – the airborne equivalent to a snowmobile or four-wheeler – but he has since been approached by search and rescue, paramedics, fire, police and border patrol agencies about its use. Martin developed the concept of the Jetpack in 1981. AirVenture 2009 runs July 27 through August 2.