Weekend fun: Rocket-powered helicopter backpack

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A long time ago, there were people experimenting with using pulse jets mounted on the tips of large rotors to make simple helicopters. By the looks of things, the idea just refuses to die, except now, the blades are mounted just inches above the operator's head. Sounds safe, no? Tecnologia Aeroespacial Mexicana (TAM) is behind the project. That company actually does offer some rocket packs which get strapped onto the adventurous rider's back, so perhaps the company will go all the way with this newfangled design as well.
Blade-mounted rockets apparently allow for the deletion of the normally necessary tail-rotor. According to TAM, the lack of the tail-rotor makes this backpack-mounted helicopter-of-death safer than the more common types you see flying in the sky. Call us crazy, but regardless of how safe the manufacturer is suggesting that his proposed one-man flying-machine may be, we can't see too many people jumping at the idea of strapping rocket fuel to their backs and flying to work. Sure does look fun, though!

[Source: Tecnologia Aeroespacial Mexicana via Engadget]

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