Hydroflight FAQ, Frequently Asked Questions
What are the age & size requirements? Generally age 16 to 80 is an accepted range. For users not yet adults, permission from parents is required. More than age, maturity is important and being comfortable in a water environment. With careful parental supervision, children as young as 7 have flown on the Jetblade. With the Jetblade, height is not an issue as it is with the Jetpack. For the jetpack the minimum height is about 5’1″.
Is there any safety equipment I need? Floatation vest is required, a properly fitted helmet (with ear protection) is strongly recommended for all sporting activities, for water jet sports the industry advisory is for wetsuit shorts to prevent water entering the lower body cavities in the ultra rare case of contact with a water jet.
How high can I go? The sky is the limit! Actually, as a beginner your height will be limited by your instructor/partner controlling the throttle of the jet ski. For the first day 10 feet ( 2 meters ) above the water is a good limit. The maximum height a professional class rider can reach on a high powered jet ski is upwards of 50 feet (15 meters). Naturally the higher you go the higher you can fall from and height increases velocity and risk of getting hurt, therefore riding heights increase with experience level of the rider.
How does it work? The water pumped through the jet ski is directed through a flexible hose to the rider’s jetboard or jetpack. The thrust then pushes out the jets propelling the rider in the other direction. The rider controls the direction of flight, from hovering vertically in one place to powering dolphin style through the water, and every direction in between.
What should I wear? For ultimate safety a shorty wetsuit and a lifevest is recommended. Most users wear shorts or a wetsuit depending in the temperature of the water. Bikinis are not recommended due to falling into the water at angles that can pull them off!
Does it make you feel like a super hero? If feeling like a superhero is what you want, then flying through the air is the way to reach it! Most people will be so excited about staying balanced and the thrill of flight that fighting crime will be the last thing on your mind.
How hard is it? Not hard at all! The trick is just to relax and let your instincts take over. The Jetblade is as easy as standing up, the Jetpack is nearly the same as riding a bike. Both easy activities!
What if I dive underwater and don’t come up again? The thrust of the jets steers the Jetblade and Jetpack, when the power is turned off you pop back up to the surface due to the built in buoyancy and the flotation vest.
I can’t swim, can I still Jetblade or Jet Pack? You must be confident in the water and this requires the ability to swim. If you cannot swim you will be out of your environment. . If you have no swimming ability you will not be able to relax and learn to fly over water, unfortunately, this activity is not for you.
I’m worried I won’t get up and flying? The biggest thing you can do is relax and stand up, look forward and stand up, it really is as easy as that. Relax and enjoy your experience, listen to your instructor and he or she can get you flying quickly!
How long can you fly? On the first day, a maximum of 30 minutes as people tend to spend a lot of extra energy learning balance and trying the new possibilities of flight. As you gain experience, time is only limited by the gas in the jet ski, a full tank lasts about three hours.
What depth of water would the Hydroflight devices be used in? A minimum of 15 feet is considered best practice. The water must be free of shallow underwater obstructions that could snag your hose or come in contact with during a fall from height. For professional riders the depth comes into play during deep diving from height, here 30 feet is considered the maximum that someone would reach.
Using diving as a reference, the standards are set taking into account that when diving from a ten-meter platform, a diver in a streamlined position will come to a stop at a depth of between 4.5 and 5 meters (16 feet). Typically, competition divers roll in the direction of the dive’s rotation as they enter the water and come to a stop at about 2.5 meters (eight feet) below the surface of the water.
Hitting the water flat in a belly flop from 10 meters would be very painful and could result in injury, but would result in a stop about one foot under the surface.
How deep can I dive? Limited by equalizing your ears and the length of the hose. It is not recommended at all to dive deep!
What health circumstances would prohibit someone from riding? Pregnancy, back injuries, heart conditions, conditions that would prevent watersport activity in general. If in doubt consult with your doctor.
How long has Hydroflight been around? For about five years as of 2017.
Is there a high risk of injury involved in this sport/activity? With proper equipment and use the rate of injury is minimal.
