A British paramedic has completed the world’s first trial mission in a rocket propelled JET SUIT – flying a distance of almost 2 kilometres. Jamie Walsh had just six days of training before he strapped himself into the 3D printed device and soared across Helvellyn, a mountainous region in the Lake District. The trial took place in weather where helicopters would have been grounded, with the suit’s manufacturers, Gravity Industries, believing it can cut response times. The company first tested their technology in September 2020, in partnership with medics from charity Great North Air Ambulance. But the new suit - trailed yesterday (May 5) - features more powerful turbine engines and also has increased manoeuvrability - which allowed Jamie to cover a distance of 1.8km. Richard Browning, Founder and Chief Test Pilot at Gravity Industries, said: "This is an exciting milestone in the rapid progression of applying this unique flight technology in the arena of paramedic response. “We are delighted that today's trial has demonstrated not only the speed with which we can train capable candidates but also the ground-breaking speed of the response in a first mission in Helvellyn” Andy Mawson, Director of Operations at GNAAS, said: “Patient care is at the forefront of everything we do at GNAAS and the success of this next stage of the jet suit trial is a great step towards helping us reach more patients. “Jamie’s flight is a crucial milestone of this journey however there is still lots to be done. “We will now be looking at completing the training, as well as development of the medical equipment and ongoing development of communications and navigations.”
