Eric Scott Flying High

To continue with our space-age forms for travel, let’s introduce this positive story:

Eric Scott, professional stunt person, catapulted himself into the record books as he jetted across a canyon, with the use of a contraption that used hydrogen peroxide for fuel…without the use of a parachute or safety net.

This is no small deal. For decades, aeronautical companies have been striving for a pack that’s capable of propelling a human a substantial distance. The problem is that jetpacks burn fuel incredibly quickly. And often, as Scott points out, there’s no way of knowing how long you will be airborne.

“This was almost twice the distance that I’ve ever flown before,” Scott says. “I’ve run out of fuel at 29 seconds before – 2ft off the deck. But I had no idea exactly how long it [the crossing] was going to take. I was expecting a 25 to 28-second flight. It always looks good on paper, but paper’s paper and 1,000ft gorges are 1,000ft gorges. Finally, I just made the decision that we’re gonna do it. It was a personal thing. Just one of those things that needed to be done.”

Anytime we make strides to move away from fossil fuel and explore other forms of transportation, it’s positive and inspiring news. And just looks pretty awesome!
Watch Amazing Video of Eric Scott

What’s a podcar? It’s more than just a futuristic notion. For Jacon Roberts, podcars are becoming a needed reality as a form of transportation.

“It’s time we design cities for the human, not for the automobile,” said Roberts, the acting president of Connect Ithaca, a group of planning and building professionals, activists and students.

“It creates the perfect blend between the privacy and autonomy of the automobile with the public transportation aspect and, of course, it uses clean energy,” says Roberts.

So what exactly is a podcar?

“It works almost like an elevator, but horizontally,” said Roberts.

And if you think this is something only your grandchildren will see, think again. Morgantown, West Virginia has been using a version of a podcar since 1975, carrying up to 15 passengers, mainly West Virginia University students.

Next year, Heathrow Airport near London will utilize a pilot podcar system to ferry air travelers on the ground. Sweden, Poland and Korea are also following suit, with their own versions and public needs.

“Something has to change,” he said. “We aren’t talking about replacing the automobile entirely. We are adding something else into the transportation strategy.”

Do you have something positive or positively innovative you’d like to share? Send it our way!