Becoming Iron Man!

In the movies, Tony Stark’s Iron Man suits are fast, agile, flying machines. T3 meets the man who is turning this superhero fantasy into reality… and ends up getting a flying lesson like no other

- Chris Barnes

The endeavour of human flight has kept inventors occupied for centuries, especially since the Wright brothers successfully flew the world’s first aeroplane. Planes may now be commonplace, but the challenge of getting humans off the ground without a giant metal tube and some in-flight complimentary peanuts is just getting started.

Richard Browning is at the forefront of this incredible movement with Gravity Industries (gravity.co), the company he founded to develop the Jet Suit, a `30Ljet-engine-powered machine that enables him to fly. On his own. No need for a plane here, folks.

T3 recently visited the Gravity HQ and lab in Wiltshire to meet Richard and some of his team, and to get the inside track on how a seemingly unattainable dream, a flight of fantasy, if you will, actually became one of the most insanely cool inventions we’ve covered in these pages. Oh, and that’s before heading out to a secret testing facility, strapping on five jet engines and learning to fly, Iron Man style…

A TURBULENT START

In addition to spending 16 years as an oil trader for BP and six years in the Royal Marines reserve, it was Richard’s family background that became the catalyst for his future career trajectory. “My father was a maverick inventor designer and aeronautical engineer,” says Richard. “His father was a civil airtime pilot and wartime pilot as well. My other grandfather was Sir Basil Blackwell who used to run Westland, the helicopter company. I grew up building, making, breaking and taking things apart in dad’s workshop.”