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Brian Walker’s Crossbow & Rocket-Propelled Craft

June 14, 2006 | Posted by Allison as Gadgets, Tid Bits & News at 9:30 am | Comments »

Many of us have a fantasy about flying, taking off into the air & letting go.  I myself dream of beautiful ivory wings to fly with, but Brian Walker’s dreams are a bit more realistic, more than likely. 

Calling his latest & greatest flying escapade project RUSH, or Rapid Up Super High (the silliest acronym yet, although NAGG was pretty funny), Brian Walker, 50, is getting closer to realizing his dream of flying.  Walker has built the world’s largest crossbow that will launch a small rocket-propelled craft carrying him 20 miles into the air.

Walker plans to achieve 10gs when the carbon-fiber bowstring releases & sends his craft into the air while firing a jet turbine with 1350 pounds of thrust.  I wonder what his mom thinks about his dream now….

I’m sure Brian’s mother can take comfort that he will be wearing a Russian space suit & will be carrying hydrogen peroxide rockets to slow his decent.  Walker is currently waiting on FAA approval & plans on testing the launcher with a ginormous fiberglass arrow before he launches his own body this fall. 

Well, at least you can say that the boy is chasing his dream.

Via:  Engadget