Aviation professionals must have been well aware of the fact that most accidents happen during landings and take-offs. And a similar incident happened today when the pilot was just about to land the passenger plane at the Los Angeles International Airport when he caught sight of a jetpack flying at a distance of just 15 miles from the plane. The jetpack was seen at around 3:00 pm, as per the Federal Aviation Administration. This must have been an anxiety-inducing sight for the pilot, and it could have been their worst nightmare if it was any closer to the plane.
Los Angeles International Airport is considered one of the busiest airports in the world, with super busy runways during landings and take-offs. And with the continuous advancements in the field of drone technology, the sight of jetpacks is not unusual. A local news channel, ABC7, reported that operations of any type of drone technology at or in the vicinity of the airport are considered illegal and that this should not have happened.
Just think for a moment how much worse the situation could be if the jetpack came down a few miles from the landing airplane. The pilot of the jetpack must have been sucked inside the engine, dying, and could also have put the lives of passengers at risk. In addition to this, an airplane worth billions of dollars could also be badly damaged. David Mayman of Jetpack Aviation was the one who presented the concept of “military-grade speeders and jetpacks”, keeping their sole purpose for emergency procedures. However, he also uses his jetpacks for teaching on civilian flights.
This doesn’t mean that any trainee from Jetpack Aviation was flying at LAX at that time. No one is being pointed out, but the reason for mentioning some initial details about this technology was to demonstrate that such types of aerial vehicles are now becoming more popular and are in demand. In the near future, we can see a huge increase in their ratio, so it’s better that FAA may set out certain rules and regulations to maintain the safety of commercial flights out there.
The airport is considered the most sensitive area for the flying of drones and jetpacks with the condition that it is an operational airport. The end result of a collision between the two can be disastrous, so it’s better to follow the rules, not only for the safety of pilots but for thousands of other lives as well.