This is the team behind Thunderpack's test flights. From left: Chief Operating Manager Rob Schneider, responsible for controlling the tether for safety during early trials; Director of Training Bill Suitor, the lucky "guinea pig" who got to strap into the jet pack; and Carmelo Amarena, founder of Thunderbolt Aerosystems.
They aren't alone in pursuing the jet pack dream. People have been playing with the idea for decades, from Hollywood depictions such as Sean Connery's character in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball to real-life endeavors such as Powerhouse Productions' Rocketbelt, shown off by "Rocketman" Dan Schlund at the 2006 X Prize Cup.
For an account of a Rocketbelt Convention and some historic jet pack flights, see this
article on Slate.
Photo by Thunderbolt Aerosystems
