Humans can now fly in the air like Iron Man!

Thanks to the constant development of science and technology, people today can do things that were once considered impossible. One of them came on February 28 when 8 pilots dressed in suits like in the Marvel movie Iron Man and flew skillfully in the sky.

Of course, there are no supernatural enemies here. They are just participating in the Jet Suit Race Series - the first tournament held exclusively for "flyers".

Here, 8 people described by CNN as "superheroes" will compete in a distance of about 1km, with 12 obstacles set up underwater. There are 4 qualifying rounds to find the best names to enter the final.

It is known that the tournament is organized by the Dubai Sports Council and is accompanied by Gravity Industries - the unit that creates special flight suits.

"There are winners, losers, finishers, and losers. It can be a little chaotic, but it's great," said Richard Browning, founder of Gravity Industries.

Browning also hopes that this race will create a fever, attracting the attention of the world's leading scientists and architects. He believes that with the participation of leading experts, flying human technology will develop rapidly. "There are things we think are ridiculous until they become reality," Browning shared.

Image of two athletes participating in the Jet Suit Race Series. Photo: Jon Gambrell/AP

Iron Men in the Air

The contestants were equipped with a special suit with a combination of 5 engines, including a large jet engine in the back and 2 smaller ones in the arms. Browning revealed that this suit has a capacity of about 1,700 horsepower, equivalent to a Bugatti Veyron supercar worth hundreds of thousands of USD.

When taking off, pilots control the direction of flight by moving their arms, for example, pointing down to fly up. Of course, they also have to handle it carefully to keep the speed at a “controllable” level. The fastest speed ever recorded by a person flying a plane is 85 mph (136 km/h), set by Browning himself.

Like any high-speed sport, there are risks involved for those who participate in skydiving. In 2020, one person died in an accident. That is why the recent tournament was held on water to ensure safety.

"By competing at sea, if you lose control, you just end up in the water. When the engine takes on water, it's a little more expensive to repair, but at least no one gets hurt," Browning revealed. The engine casing is made from a mixture of aluminum, polymer, and titanium.

The drones used by athletes at the recent tournament do not fall under any aviation category. However, Browning revealed that he still works with prominent aviation agencies such as the UK's CAA or the US FAA to ensure they comply with existing rules and safety measures.

Issa Kalfon, a member of Gravity's flight training team, also admitted that safety is the top priority. Kalfon has flown as Iron Man in more than 30 events, big and small, and also won the last one. However, in the world, very few pilots have the experience of Kalfon in this sport.

Ahmed Al Shehhi represented the UAE in this year’s Jet Suit Race Series. He had only tried flying in the suit three weeks before the race. He clearly had little experience, but he picked up the pace quickly.

Browning said pilots need to be thoroughly trained before they can fly officially. However, he admitted that it is not as difficult as most people imagine.

Gravity's device enables humans to fly in the air. Photo: Gravity Industries Ltd / Toby Patterson

Not just for entertainment purposes

Competitions like the Jet Suit Race Series are what Browning and his team are aiming for when creating their flying suits. However, that is not all. Over the years, Browning has had discussions with authorities to deploy their products for search and rescue, medical and even military purposes.

In 2020, the General National Air Rescue Service (GNAAS) tested the suit on one of its operations in a mountainous area of ​​England, significantly reducing the time to reach the target, from 25 minutes to just 90 seconds.

A year later, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines also tested the Gravity suit for their forces. For Browning, this was a significant step forward.

“We train special operations forces and paramedics to travel over any terrain, day or night, over wires, mud, mines, in weather that makes most helicopters unable to fly, to reach any point on the planet,” Browning added.

The recent event is just the first step in bringing the "flying man" closer to the general public. Next year, a world championship is scheduled to be held in Dubai with at least 12 athletes participating. Browning hopes this event will create a big buzz.

"For many people, the flight suit has been a dream come true. They spent their childhood fascinated by sci-fi characters like 'The Rocketeer,' 'Ironman,' or 'The Jetsons.' Now we've given them the chance to experience that fantasy," Browning added.

Source: CNN

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/tu-marvel-cho-den-doi-thuc-con-nguoi-gio-da-co-the-bay-tren-khong-nhu-iron-man-17224030407261043.htm