Jet Suit Takes on Helvellyn

Reaching the summit of one of the highest Lake District peaks in 3mins 30 seconds

Feature type Video

Read time 1 min

Published May 16, 2022

Base editorial team
BASE editorial team BASE writers and editors who live and breathe adventure every day. We love adventure storytelling as much as we love adventure itself.

Individual jet propulsion is perhaps one of the most cliche concepts of ‘the future’ – something generally more at home in the Marvel universe or in spy movies than reality, but this year, jet suits will be introduced to the Great North Air Ambulance service operating in the Lake District.

Currently, for Mountain Rescue foot response to reach an injured patient it takes around 30 minutes, now, Gravity – the company responsible for creating the suits – have demonstrated they can reach the summit of Helveylln 3300ft in 3mins 30 seconds.

The route in the video below was 1.2 miles and 2200ft of height gain and was completed in poor visibility that would have grounded a helicopter.

The fully-3D printed polypropylene suit utilises three small propulsion jets which produce up to 144kg of thrust so medics can ascend quickly, ultimately improving patient survivability in inaccessible environments.

‘There are dozens of patients every month within the complex but relatively small geographical footprint of the Lakes. We could see the need,’ explains Andy Mawson, Director of Operations for GNAAS, who came up with the concept for the suits. ‘What we didn’t know for sure was how this would work in practice. Well we’ve seen it now and it is, quite honestly, awesome.’

Don’t miss a single adventure

Sign up to our free newsletter and get a weekly BASE hit to your inbox

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • email

Other posts by this author

VideoBASE editorial team • Sep 11, 2023

The Best Easy Camping Curries For 2023

In our latest video, we test five easy camping meals - so you don't have to!

VideoBASE editorial team • Jul 21, 2023

Merging Two Lives: The Personal Journey of Hamish Frost

The challenges and triumphs of embracing sexuality in the outdoors

VideoBASE editorial team • Jul 04, 2023

Zofia Reych On Bouldering, Life And Neurodivergence

Climbing is a driving force in Zofia's life, but for a long time, it also seemed to be a destructive one