Fly Me to the Moon: Niagara Falls’ Rocketbelt Convention

Posted by Mike Richard on February 28, 2008
Filed under: Canada, Sidelines

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Rocketbelt Convention, Niagara Falls
Rocketbelt Convention, Niagara Falls

It’s called a ‘rocketbelt.’ Not a ‘jet pack.’

This is not a misnomer, really. Your average rocketbelt consists of two tanks of ‘rocket-grade’ hydrogen peroxide, which you attach to your back. Add nitrogen, and the fuel suddenly expands in volume by a factor of 5,000. The whole mixture then gets converted to steam, which reaches about 1300 degrees Fahrenheit as it erupts forth as barely-contained propulsion. If you’re very, very good, you might fly for about thirty seconds.

To some people, this is incredibly appealing.

Hence, the Rocketbelt Convention, in Niagara Falls. Although only four fully-functional rocketbelts are known to exist, it seems that countless others are ‘95% complete.’ The first ever rocketbelt pilot, Harold Graham, made a debut flight in 1961. Only ten men have free-flown a rocketbelt since.

Rocketbelt engineers are a somewhat unique bunch. They tend to have large garages, and perhaps a patient spouse. They also seem to have a well-developed sense of the absurd: during his speech at the convention, Harold Graham played a ukulele.

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This article was reprinted with permission of Cool Things In Random Places - a little refreshing randomness from around the globe.

Vagabondish editor Mike Richard lives in Rhode Island - a small patch of land in the northeastern U.S. He is a professional web designer and travel junkie with an unhealthy addiction to backpacking, camping, hiking and seeing the world. He enjoys knit hats and speaking in the third person.



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Comments

Louise
February 29th, 2008 - 10:30 am

Hmmm… cool I want to go, when is it? I looked on the museum’s website, but it doesn’t say…