We Were Promised Jetpacks

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Anyone who grew up in the '50s or '6os has spent a lifetime waiting for the day when we'd all abandon our cars and take jetpacks to work. While most practical minds have abandoned the idea over concerns about inefficient fuel and noise issues, a few diehard visionaries won't give up on the future.

Last week Swiss daredevil Yves "Jetman" Rossy jumped out of an airplane and flew his jetpack 8,000 feet above the Grand Canyon for 8 full minutes before landing safely with a parachute.

Yeah, it's not the humdrum transportation promised by James Bond or the Jetsons, but it's great to know that someone out there wants to keep the dream alive.

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If want the jetpack experience but you're afraid of getting fried to death by jet fuel, you can buy your own Jetlev R200 water-powered device for the low, low price of $99,500. The Jetlev is quite a bit lighter than the traditional jetpack because it's tethered by a water hose to a boat housing an engine that pumps the water that powers your flight. Jetpack traditionalists might consider that cheating but flying without fear of incineration has to be a plus.