Sponsored Content
« Old Comments Down | Main | The Big Loser In The North Korean Crisis. »
October 09, 2006

Rocket Man [Retired Geezer]

Hey, it ain't no Flyin' Car but it's pretty cool. News from the first Rocketbelt Convention.

In April 20, 1961, Harold Graham made history by being the first person to achieve liftoff using a rocketbelt—a rocket-powered "jet pack" that straps on the flyer's back.

1961? Ace weren't even alive back then.

Flying with a rocketbelt is extremely dangerous. The would-be aviator must strap a contraption onto his back that includes two large tanks filled with highly combustible fuel, concentrated "rocket-grade" hydrogen peroxide. The flier turns a motorcyclelike hand throttle that opens a valve and releases nitrogen into the two tanks, which causes the fuel to expand to 5,000 times its size. The fuel is then forced through a catalyst pack and converted to steam that can reach 1,300 degrees, providing enough power to thrust itself and the person wearing it into the air.

1,300 degrees! Better not let your feet flap around too much, Skippy.

Bill Suitor, the most traveled rocket man in history with 1,200 flights (most famously as a stunt double for Sean Connery in Thunderball), describes the challenge of maintaining stability with a rocketbelt as "trying to stand on a big beach ball in the middle of a swimming pool."

He left out the part about consuming a pint of VRV.

For insiders, the highlight of the conference was a new bit of rocketbelt lore. During a talk to 100 people—and just before debuting on the ukulele an original song he wrote

At last the AoS Lifestyle component is revealed.

Graham for the first time told the story of his only crash. He recounted falling 22 feet and landing on his head during a secret demonstration at Cape Canaveral, a mishap that left him unconscious for half an hour. Graham retired from the rocketbelt biz shortly thereafter.

Well, duh.

All would-be rocketbelters practice on a tethered safety line for months before attempting a free flight. And most never make that flight:

Ready for the Money Quote...
To date, only 11 men in history have free-flown a rocketbelt. More men have walked on the moon.

I bet you thought there were more Rocketeers than that, didn't you.

I know I did.


digg this
posted by Ace at 10:33 AM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
Mike LaFontaine: "Insider Paper @TheInsiderPaper · 4h NEW: Ne ..."

ShainS -- Oppression Scientist and Your AI Interpreter [/b][/i][/s][/u]: ">>> 34M views in 6 hours for Tucker Carlson’ ..."

Alberta Oil Peon: "NEW: Nearly 200 passengers aboard Celebrity Cruise ..."

*gasp!*: "*'explosive diarrhea'* During PRIDE month? ..."

CharlieBrown'sDildo: "Fresh figs with blue cheese, toasted walnuts and a ..."

Blanco Basura - Z28.310: "[i]Why does that child in the red and white dress ..."

naturalfake: "[i]Before the fig conversation completely ends... ..."

Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere [/i] [/b] : "[i]NEW: Nearly 200 passengers aboard Celebrity Cru ..."

JEM: "Tuileries? Yeah, I can envision since it's Franc ..."

Adirondack Patriot: "NEW: Nearly 200 passengers aboard Celebrity Cruise ..."

RedMindBlueState[/i][/b][/s][/u]: "[i]Before the fig conversation completely ends... ..."

jim (in Kalifornia): "[i]So far, no evil AR-15s. Just handguns.[/i] Y ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64