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Jet-Powered Wheelchair

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the and-they're-off! dept.

gpmcdermott writes "What does a man with too much time, a jet engine, and his mother-in-law's wheelchair, do? The BBC is reporting on the results on the Beeb."

7 of 244 comments (clear)

  1. On the other hand ... by rlp · · Score: 2, Interesting

    At least it wasn't a JATO unit. See Snopes

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    [Insert pithy quote here]
    1. Re:On the other hand ... by cecille · · Score: 5, Interesting

      A little while ago I was reading some snopes at work (bored) and somehow I managed to surf over to this story. Very long, but incedibly interesting.

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      ...no two people are not on fire.
  2. If you like that one by Prince+Vegeta+SSJ4 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Check out THIS baby. 85mph with 300LBS of thrust?!?!?

  3. BIG jet engine on a F-350 by notthepainter · · Score: 2, Interesting
    About 20 years ago, a friend of mine worked for the Dept of Transportation working on embassy securty, gates and fences mostly.

    In addition to protecting the buildings, they also looked at methods of payload delivery. The coolest one was of course the big jet engine bolted to a Ford F-350. I don't know how the tests went but I just KNOW what the enigeers were doing the night before brass was invited...

  4. This guy is crazy! And cool! by pair-a-noyd · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Anyone notice he's not wearing a HELMET ??

    Besides that, I have to say this is great.
    I have a friend with Parkinson's and he's gonna get a huge kick out of this.
    Thanks for digging this one up!

  5. reincarnation of Lawnchair Larry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'd say this guy should me Lawnchair Larry, who attached helium weather balloons to his Sears aluminum lawnchair and tried to control his height with a pellet gun. He got cold and dropped the gun. oops

  6. Links? Details? Plans? by merlin_jim · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I myself am in a wheelchair and have been considering some "added mobility" features.

    I don't want plain old electric motors. I want to have to wheel myself around with muscle mass. I'm in a wheelchair. I need all the excercise I can get.

    But for longer distance or varying conditions, having other means is nice.

    Where are the details? plans? How do I outfit myself with a jet engine? What kind of jet engine is it? turbine? pulse jet?

    For the curious, my current plan is to hand build a wankel. Actually the whole engine will be hand built. Central keyed axle going through a series of flat modules; one power pack (battery+starter/generator), one wankel, one ducted fan assembly. The ducted fan will have two exhausts with louvres on the back to change the ratio of thrust to lift.

    The modules will be enclosed in aluminum. The mounting bolts will be electrically isolated from the chassis, and serve as power distribution. Fuel will come from a propane tank; I'll have an emergency camp stove propane tank to guarantee I can always get back to my car to swap out.

    That should give me a nice self contained bolt on ground effect system. I only plan on using it when on rough terrain (wheelchairs don't like gravel)... so I can buy a second chair and modify it for that purpose. When the GE engine is off, the chair will just sit on its legs (traditional style chair legs with big rubber feet for stability and traction)

    Hmmm does this mean it'll still be a wheelchair?

    But yeah I'd consider doing all/some of this with a jet engine; if I could find some details...

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    I am disrespectful to dirt! Can you see that I am serious?!