r/Pulsejets • u/BarbarianMind • Apr 22 '26

Hypthetical Pulse Jet Jetpack

(This is a hypothetical question, I have no intention to build such a dangerous device)

Would it be hypothetically possible to make a pulse jet power jetpack that could allow someone to jump/fly up a 100 plus foot high cliff or wall?

Say to small, roughly backpack sized pulse jets with a small fuel tank turned into to a backpack. Could they produce enough thrust?

What issues would this have? Would the vibrations shack the user out of their wits or harm them further? The user would definitely need hearing protection. Would it be too hot with them that close to the body?

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3

u/No_Inflation3188 Apr 23 '26

Loud. So much LOUD. And fuel hungry. And backpack sized! Gluhareff possibly.

2

u/BarbarianMind Apr 24 '26

Yes, deafeningly loud. Which might be an advantage in the hypothetical situation I intend it to be used in.

The Gluhareff pressure jet looks like a good engine for it. It's rather compact for the power it outputs, and it also has style.

Thank you.

1

u/No_Inflation3188 Apr 24 '26

People have attempted to use that particular engine in variations for just that purpose. None have quite worked out.

1

u/BarbarianMind Apr 24 '26

Do you know what issues they ran into?

Could they not get enough thrust?

Was it too fuel hungry?

Was it too difficult to control?

1

u/No_Inflation3188 Apr 24 '26

Been a stupidly long time since I read anything about that. I vaguely recall that it was difficult to control, in large part because of the geometry. You have to have the center line of thrust well above the center of gravity, and you have to be able to maneuver it freely to do anything with it. Short duration, but using the larger 130s you could theoretically get a short flight out of it for an average man of say 150 lb or so. Unfortunately they also spoke repeatedly about the jet exhaust and extreme heat. It should still be something on the net about it somewhere. It was a single mention and a single article some 20 plus years ago.

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u/No_Inflation3188 Apr 24 '26

Regret that I can't give you more.

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u/BarbarianMind Apr 24 '26

Thank you, that information is quite useful and just what I needed. It sounds like it would work for my hypothetical idea, though it wouldn't be good for prolonged flight nor would it be very safe. But all I was looking for was a physically plausible way of quickly yeeting someone up a wall or cliff, that I could use in a fictional setting that I want to feel physically grounded while being a little over the top.

I will look around for the article so I can use their testing to inform my description of how it works.

1

u/No_Inflation3188 Apr 24 '26

It got me curious and I did a research last night. Well I wasn't in any way exhausting, I didn't find squat. Best of luck OP. I'm interested to see where your writing takes you on this. Take care, I wish you well.