Skip to main content

Fly Like Superman at Over 250 MPH with the Jetwing Personal Aircraft

It took man around 2.6 million years to evolve from mastering Stone Age tools to the era of powered flight. A few short decades later, we made it to the moon. Now, it seems the next great leap for humankind is the age of personal aircraft. Jetman Dubai is leading the charge with its compact, jet-powered Jetwing.

Jetman Dubai Jetwing Personal Aircraft jetpack
Jetman/Facebook

By the numbers, the Jetwing personal aircraft is impressive. Thanks to four miniature turbine engines and an ultra-lightweight carbon fiber wing, it’s capable of speeds over 250 miles per hour. It also boasts a 31-mile range and a maximum altitude of more than 20,000 feet. The jet pack is ground-controlled and capable of hovering at a standstill and even performing loops and aerial acrobatics. The pilot’s sky-high antics can all be recorded via multiple onboard 4K action cameras.

Related Videos

The history of Jetman Dubai dates back to 2013 when an early version of its Jetwing flew a successful formation flight with an acrobatic plane. Fast-forward two years and the company completed a manned flight alongside an Emirates A380 jumbo jet over Dubai. These first proof-of-concept flights were all launched from a moving aircraft or an elevated platform, however. Now, the company is again in the news thanks to a record-setting flight by professional skydiver Vince Reffet. In a world-first, the Jetwing pilot launched to more than 3,000 feet in under 30 seconds from a standstill on the ground. He topped out at nearly 6,000 feet before pulling his safety parachute.

Jetman Dubai Takeoff - 4K

Of course, the Jetwing isn’t the only one-man aircraft in development. Last August, Airspeeder announced the debut of flying car races as early as this year. A few months before that, we reported on JetPack Aviation’s Speeder concept, a sci-fi-inspired personal hoverbike touting performance numbers similar to Jetwing. In 2018, London’s Selfridges department store even promoted the sale of the ultra-limited-edition, Iron-Man-style Gravity Jetpack — with more horsepower than a Lamborghini Aventador — for the low, low price of just $440,000 (helmet and flying lessons included).

Developers at Jetman Dubai have their sights set on autonomous human flight for the masses. Unfortunately, the company has no concrete plans to put the Jetwing into production — for now. Considering most humans have yet to master travel in two dimensions, that’s probably for the best.

Editors' Recommendations

K2 releases the first ever freeride ski boot with BOA lacing system
Bring your ski touring boots up to date with K2's new Mindbender BOAs
k2 mindbender boa boots f23 130 iso front large

There is a good reason that snowboard boots moved onto BOA systems. The revolution brought about enhanced levels of comfort, micro-adjustments, and a better spread of tension on the boot. It's fitting, then, that the company that brought about this revolution has been at the forefront of fitting BOA systems onto ski boots, and let's be honest, it's about time.

Following the roaring success of the Recon 120, the first alpine boot utilizing a BOA system, K2 has pushed the envelope once again. This fall, they will release the all-new Mindbender boot featuring BOA. This freeride-focused, touring-ready ski boot will have all the bells and whistles of the current Mindbender series — updated to a 2023 boot — but where clips have previously sat across your forefoot, there will now be a BOA cable. So what does this mean for the Mindbender?

Read more
The best way to travel with a snowboard or skis affordably
Don't lug those skis through the airport or try to tie them to your car. Skip the stress and ship them ahead.
A group of friends posing with their snowboards and skis while standing in the snow.

Most people have a panic attack when they have to pack for a vacation. If you have to take any kind of sporting gear, the anxiety gets a little more intense. And winter gear is no joke, especially those skis or a snowboard.

How are you supposed to carry all that equipment through the parking lot and then the airport, all the way to check it in? What if you don't have a car that you could fit them in or tie them to? The answer is that you don't do any of that. We have the way for you to travel to your snowy destination without having to haul those skis or snowboard along every step of the way.

Read more
What to do when you see a bear on the trail this spring
Prepare yourself for backcountry adventures so that bear sightings don't become bear attacks

If someone walked into your house uninvited, you would probably take issue with them. So why is it that some hikers and trekkers get put out by bear encounters? After all, haven't you just walked into their home unannounced, and aren't they within their rights to act out in self-defense? Sure, bears aren't the only animals on the trail that you might come across, but they're among the most common, and if you're a serious outdoorsman, you'll eventually encounter a bear.

Read more