Jet Packs

When I was a kid, I loved watching those old Warner Bros. cartoons; the days when violence was not yet strictly monitored on television as it is today. And characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester the Cat, and Tweetie Bird made animated shows popular. One of my favorite cartoons was Road Runner, where the coyote was always trying any new ACME product or other crazy idea to thwart the ever escaping road runner. A contraption that even I thought couldn’t be built was his jet pack. And while in this episode it worked (the coyote smashing into a cliff wall though), I later learned that this fictitious device had some real history to it.

Also known as rocket packs, jet packs attain liftoff from fast escaping liquid or gases that propel the pilot skywards. The first rocket pack was designed by (who would have guessed) the Nazi regime during World War II. Its user wore two shortened Schmidt-Argus jet pulse engines that were used to power Fieseler Fi 103 (V-1) flying bombs. The machine was called a Himmelsturmer (“Skystormer” in English). To take off, the flier ignited both engines simultaneously whose propulsions were channeled into a single, angled rear tube that provided lift and forward thrust. There was also a smaller tube mounted on the user’s chest that maintained a lower, constant upward thrust.

V-1 flying bomb

Sustained flights weren’t possible so only short jumps of up to 60 meters (180 feet) at an altitude of 15 meters (50 feet) were attempted. The device was intended to assist German engineer units across minefields, barbed wire, and wide waterways. As soon as the throttle was disengaged, the jet pack shut off. Surprisingly, there are no recorded casualties at the hand of this machine.

In the 1960’s the United States army began to hire companies to design a similar apparatus to be used by soldiers in combat. Most, if not all of these designs, used different types of compressed gases (i.e. hydrogen peroxide, nitrogen) to obtain lift.

Another application that came from this work was using similarly working device in space. One such design was the Bell Pogo, a small rocket powered platform that two people could ride on. In the 1980s, NASA demonstrated its Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) which later was replaced by the SAFER to be used in case of an accidental separation from the spacecraft or station.

Bell Pogos

While it may have been fun to ride, engineers realized that rocket packs would be able to traverse longer distances in they had some form of a wing. One of my favorite examples of such a device is Yves Rossy’s jet pack. His pack was built with rigid carbon-fiber wings spanning about 8 feet (2.4 meters) holding four small kerosene-burning jet engines underneath. After being lifted to a proper altitude by plane, he ignites the engines just before exiting the plane with the wings folded. The wings unfold while in free-fall, and he is then able to fly horizontally for several minutes, landing using a parachute. Rossy controls his flight by adjusting his body position and uses a hand throttle to maneuver. He and his sponsors spent over $190,000 to build the device.

A water-propelled jet pack, the Jetlev-Flyer, debuted in 2009 as a product that could be purchased by the public. Instead of gas, it uses two water jets for thrust. A small unmanned boat with a pump delivers pressurized water to the jet pack via a hose. This amazing idea has a MSRP of $129,000.

If you’re already thinking about building your own jetpack, I implore you to reconsider. Not only are your chances of success minimal, but there would be no truly safe way to test it. However, you’re likely to see someone else perform aerobatics on one if you go to a popular air show. Companies like Jetpack International and Martin Jetpack often perform stunts at large venues or can be hired to be at your own event.

Martin jetpack

Weightlessness

As we were all kids at one point, it’s probable that every one of us has had the desire to become an astronaut; to ride the space shuttle, work on the International Space Station, and just simply to go into space. But what was it about space that stole our imaginations? It could have been interest in advance technology, visiting the Moon, making scientific contributions, or wearing those cool space-suits. However, we know it wasn’t any of those things. We just wanted to be weightless!

Weightlessness is a feeling experienced during free fall, normally under a galactic body’s gravitational force or in deep space. Also referred to as a “zero gravity”, this sensation of loosing, if not all, of your weight instantaneously is a simple physics problem. Weightlessness can occur when all forces acting upon a mass are equal or no forces are at work.

One might ask, “Then how come astronauts orbiting the Earth weigh nothing?” Well, the answer is not because our planet’s gravitational force is decreased by increased distance from its core, but because both the orbiting vessel and the astronauts inside have no difference in acceleration. It is the same law considered when launching satellites; if adjusted correctly, a satellites orbiting speed is so fast that it keeps circling the earth creating a centrifugal force equal to that exerted by Earth’s gravitational field.

The only way to experience weightlessness for yourself, short of becoming a fully trained astronaut, is to ride a specifically designed aircraft referred to as the “Vomit Comet”. These types of aircraft fly an elliptical path relative to the center of the Earth, or as it is better described, parabolic.

To begin each arc, the aircraft climbs at an angle of 45⁰, then reduces thrust while aligning to a zero angle of attack, and descends at a 30⁰ angle. Weightlessness is felt during the entire peak of the hump, but when you reach the valley, extra g-forces are exerted on the body doubling your weight. During these maneuvers, you will feel zero gravity almost a third of the time.

If you’ve read everything before this point, you can surmise that weighing nothing is going to cost you a pretty penny. The only company based inside the United States approved by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is Zero Gravity Corporation which offers flights to the general public where passengers can experience the force of both the Moon’s and Mar’s gravity as well as complete weightlessness. Each mission will consist of 12-15 parabolas, with each arc taking about 65 seconds. Yet for all that merriment, you’re still going to need to come up with about $5,000 to book a ride for yourself.

People have done a lot of crazy things in weightless environments, but this video below takes the cake.

Oktoberfest

When it comes to drinking beer, I don’t have any experience. In fact, I have made a vow to never let any form of alcohol touch my lips. But drinking beer just isn’t about getting wasted; it’s about having a good time. And when you’re having a good time you’re normally partying with other people. Well in the drinking world, there’s no bigger celebration of culture and booze than the mighty Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest is a sixteen day festival held in Munich, Germany from late September to early October. It is the world’s largest fair drawing six million people annually largely based in Bavarian culture. The first such celebration was held in 1810 in honor of the marriage between Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen where a horse race was held.

The festival has been significantly altered since the 1950s. Every year there is the twelve gun salute and tapping of the first keg of beer at 12:00 by the incumbent Mayor of Munich crying "O'zapft is!" ("It's tapped!" in the Austro-Bavarian language). The mayor then gives the first beer to the Minister-President of the State of Bavaria.

Like any other outdoor festival, there are vendors and rides. The vendors reside under huge tents, of which there are 14, each containing a different atmosphere and festivities. Three of the most popular tents are described below.

Armbrustschützen

This tent’s main feature is its crossbow competition of which marksmen have been competing since 1895. Owner Peter Inselkammer insures everyone’s physical well-being. His tent offers roast chicken, knuckle of pork, or traditional sausages with sauerkraut. Of course, all these dishes go great with a mug of their Paulaner beer.

The Hippodrom

It's important to note that one shouldn't start looking for a place to sit too late, as the Hippodrom is somewhat smaller than the other tents. Mainly frequented by the younger crowd, it contains a stylish sekt (sparkling wine) bar and is recommended for singles.


Löwenbräu

Ornamental lions mounted on the roof let out ferocious roars every few minutes. This tent is the meeting point for fans of the TSV 1860 Munich soccer team as they are called ‘the Lions’.

Now as for the rides, Oktoberfest’s main attraction is the Olympic Looping, a portable steel roller coaster. It is the largest of its kind and the only one with five loops. The loops are arranged to resemble the Olympic rings and are more circularly shaped than most roller coasters resulting in higher g-forces exerted on its passengers (up to 5.2 g’s). The whole structure weights 900 tons and requires a housing space of 85 by 36 meters.

Did you know?- Especially drunk patrons are often called Bierleichen (German for "beer corpses").

Appalachian Trail

There’s nothing like getting some fresh air. To be outside on a clear, crisp autumn morning with the sun in your face, birds chirping away, and colorful leaves slowly drifting to the ground. It’s going to get cold soon…you can feel it in the air and you know this will be your last time to enjoy nature for almost six months. So what can you do? Well, go for a hike. And if you’re 2/3 of the United States population, you’re within a day’s driving distance of one of the greatest wilderness trails in the world, the Appalachian Trail.

Extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, the Appalachian Trail is 2,178 miles long. And if that isn’t enough walking for you, there is an extension called the International Appalachian Trail (609 miles long) that extends into Canada ending in Belle Isle, Newfoundland at the North Atlantic Ocean. Along with the Continental Divide Trail and Pacific Crest Trail, these three systems form the trifecta of long distance hiking in the U.S.

The trail has more than 250 shelters and camp sites available for passing hikers. Most coverts are open, three-walled structures with a simple wooden floor while others are more elaborate.

But the trail is not only admired for its scenery, but for its animal life as well. The American black bear is the largest omnivore residing in all states the trail passes through, with deer, elk, and moose (most noticeably in Maine) also being seen. There’s no need to fear any of these animals since most choose to avoid human confrontation and are easily scared away by noise.

black bear

elk

As far as the animals to be afraid of, there is the Eastern timber rattlesnake as well as the copperhead. These two venomous snakes are normally found in drier, rockier portions of the trail in Connecticut up until New Hampshire.

timber rattlesnake

copperhead

Notable geographic features include Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia, and Mount Moosilauke in New Hampshire.

Great Smokey Mountains National Park

Grayson Highlands State Park

If you would like to find out how you can help conserve this trail, visit appalachiantrail.org for details.

Did you know?- It takes about 5,000,000 adult footsteps to hike the entire trail!

Streaking

“So I’m at home watching TV; sitting on a bean bag chair, naked eating Cheetos.”

Admit it…we all like being in the nude every once in a while; whether you celebrate national naked hiking day or like to roam the empty rooms of your house as king. Being naked is completely natural. Trust me when I say embracing one’s figure is perhaps the most boldest and profound statement a person can send about their self-image. So it’s natural that every once a while people be reminded of the masterpiece that is the human form (no matter what you weigh), and bare it all for the world to see.

Streaking is a relatively new term that wasn’t recorded in use until 1973. The word as it’s known in modern context was popularized by a Washington D.C. news reporter while watching a “mass nude run” at the University of Maryland. As 500 students exited the dorm building the reporter was announcing “they are streaking past me right now. It’s an incredible sight!” The next day, the headline “streaking” was published on the cover of the Associated Press.

Streaking differs from naturism and nudism with the intent of the participant(s) to display themselves to a large audience. Sometimes purposefully committing the act just to be handled (I mean arrested) by the police. Yet it is also different from flashing, with most contributors not trying to traumatize anyone.

While streaking is most synonymous with sporting events, most streakers prefer to keep it a little more low key; baring it all in the dark, often running along roadways in the early hours of the morning.

Did you know?- The world record for the largest mass streak was made at the University of Georgia on March 7, 1974 where there were 1,543 participants!

Probably the most widely seen streaker off all time was 34-year-old Robert Opel who crossed the stage of the 46th Academy Awards in 1974 flashing the peace sign. Robert’s dashing performance can be viewed here.

Without a doubt, the most distinguished streaker of all time would be a British man by the name of Mark Roberts. His impressive resume of past performances along with some interesting photographs (no full frontal) can be found at his site thestreaker.org.

Mark Roberts

And after reading this you’re still craving more awkwardness, visit streakarama.org or streaking.org for more.

I want to know…Where would be the ultimate place and/or situation to streak. Leave a comment since I trust you’ll be clean.