Human powered wings with jet pack

  • Thread starter Thread starter sunbird
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Human Jet Wings
AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around the concept of combining flapping wings with jet pack technology for human flight. The idea proposes using smaller, flexible wings with a total wingspan of 24 feet, assisted by two RC jet engines providing 80-100 lbs of thrust. Participants note that while wings can generate lift in horizontal flight, they are less effective for vertical takeoff, and the weight of the jet engines and fuel must be considered. Suggestions include using rigid wings that could fold back and be locked into place, as well as the importance of achieving sufficient airspeed for lift. The feasibility of such a design raises questions about the complexity and practicality of integrating flapping and fixed-wing mechanics.
sunbird
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Hi guys, i was thinking recently people are trying to fly flapping huge great wings with no success, whilst others are flying with jet packs, so what i was thinking was adding them together. flapping smaller sets of wing assisted by a small jet pack say 2 RC jet engines producing 80-100lbs of thrust so a 140lb human plus the jet and wing weight have to be able to produce the rest.
Do you guys think it would be possible?
what would the wing span have to be?
I was thinking around 6 foot a wing so together there would be in total 24ft of wing length.
the wings would have to quite flexible so they would have to be like birds wings.
just a random idea.

Thanks
Charlie
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
I was thinking around 6 foot a wing so together there would be in total 24ft of wing length.
6+6=12?

A wing can produce lift in a horizontal flight - it won't help for a vertical liftoff. But if you restrict yourself to a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) flight, wings can produce significant lift even if they cannot be flapped. The required jet pack force could be lowered significantly, if the wings are large enough.
 
I would imagine that you would get your wings and arms ripped of if you tried to "flap" them whilst being pushed along with a thrust of 200lb! You also have forgot to figure in the weight of the jet engines and their fuel requirement.
A rigid wing version of what you have postulated has been tried when a French stuntman was dropped from a plane and flew across the English channel powered by two small turbo jets fixed to a rigid wing on his back, but he landed by parachute and did not take off under his own power. The jet packs you speak of are not really jets but are hydrogen peroxide rockets and generate much more thrust than a micro turbojet engine.
 
Also flapping a wing and gliding a wing use two entirely different ways of generating lift. If you don't want to make something extremely complex I would stick to one or the other.
 
With that much thrust, you would neither need nor want flapping wings.
 
sorry meant to say 2 sets of wings so 6 foot each equalling 24ft.
so if you could have wings that could fold back behind you then you could open them out like a bird but they would be locked into place like a fixed wing, would that work?
also if could you take off running with enough force from the jets at this wing span?
i no I am asking for a lot if you could set the wings at the right angle of attack to the wing could you take of standing?
 
sunbird said:
sorry meant to say 2 sets of wings so 6 foot each equalling 24ft.
so if you could have wings that could fold back behind you then you could open them out like a bird but they would be locked into place like a fixed wing, would that work?
also if could you take off running with enough force from the jets at this wing span?
i no I am asking for a lot if you could set the wings at the right angle of attack to the wing could you take of standing?

Wings make lift with enough airspeed and as you said AOA. You have get to that speed though, not sure how fast the guy can run and the stall speed of your wings... otherwise you have to takeoff on thrust alone or come up with some kind of lunch device/vehicle.
 
ok sorry to change idea quickly saw my brother playing a playstation 1 game the other day, i don't no why lol it was called silent bomber and he had some cool bomb gauntlets, but he could jump about 10ft because the gaunlets let out a short burst, and if you jumped twice he would jump up and then burst forward about 10-20 ft would this be possible.
not a clue what it would be used for lol if it could be done i prob would build just cause it could be done.
could you you do it using compressed air? or would it have to be a hydrogen mix like the new jet packs being built.
 
Back
Top