Ever fancied a dab at being Iron Man? Now you can.
A jet suit created by a British former commodities trader has gone on sale in a London department store with a cool price tag of 340,000 pounds, or $443,428.
Made up of five miniature jet engines mounted on the pilot’s arms and back, and also of electronics and 3D-printed parts, the suit by Gravity Industries is reminiscent of the one worn by Robert Downey Jr. as Marvel superhero Iron Man.
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Running on jet fuel or diesel, it has a speed record of 32 miles per hour (51 km/h) and an altitude limit of 12,000 feet (3,658 m), though inventor Richard Browning hovers only a few metres above the ground when using it for safety reasons.
He has taken it on demonstrations around the world, and on Wednesday, July 18, Browning took flight above a small, closed-off street outside luxury department store Selfridges, which is selling custom-made versions of the suit.
“That’s something we’re looking to improve, but it’s the inevitable consequence of flying without wings.”
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The curious can see the suit at the store as well as test out a virtual reality version. Anybody who decides to buy a suit will also be offered training.
“If you watch this as an audience member, you probably get exposed to more warmth than I do as the pilot,” Browning said. “It’s actually surprisingly calm and not very violent. It’s very passive and gentle when you’re flying it.”
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