Ready, set, fly? First-ever jet suit race held in Dubai – National

The world’s first jet suit race took place on Wednesday in Dubai, creating a scene that looked more like something out of Marvel’s Iron Man than reality.

The competition featured eight racers each wearing a jet suit. The suit uses engines located on the back as well as on each arm, which are used to control the flight path.

The competition took place over water, with the skyscrapers of Dubai Marina looming in the distance. Organizers said they picked the water site to allow for higher speeds and for safety as the pilots skimmed a short distance above the water.


Jet suit pilots race in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in what might be the first-ever jet suit race. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell).


Jet suit pilot Issa Kalfon of the United Kingdom, center, waves his trophy after winning a race in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell).


A jet suit pilot races in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell).


AP Photo/Jon Gambrell


Jet suit pilots race in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell).


Richard Browning of Gravity Industries races one of his firm’s jet suits in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell).

The event was organized by the Dubai Sports Council and Gravity Industries, which makes the suit.

Story continues below advertisement

Issa Kalfon, the deputy head of flight training at Gravity and a former professional gymnast, won the competition.


Breaking news from Canada and around the world
sent to your email, as it happens.

Each racer had to maneuver through 12 traffic points along a 700-metre long race course at Dubai’s harbour.


Click to play video: 'Want to own a jet suit? Now you can, thanks to this British inventor'


Want to own a jet suit? Now you can, thanks to this British inventor


The races on Wednesday saw pilots wear 1,500-horsepower jet suits, more powerful than most luxury sports cars and using the same kind of fuel used by Dubai-based long-haul carrier Emirates’ Airbus A380s and Boeing 777 aircraft.

The jet suit currently can reach speeds of 128 kilometres per hour, Gravity says.

— with files from The Associated Press


Click to play video: 'Jet suit flying paramedic tested to reach remote patients in UK'


Jet suit flying paramedic tested to reach remote patients in UK


&copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Source link

Denial of responsibility! NewsConcerns is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.

Leave a Comment