Flying doctors - 7th October 2020

This is a jet suit. With it, people can fly. Now, doctors want to use it. It is hard to get to some places in the UK. But it is easy with the jet suit.

Gravity Industries makes the jet suit. They are working with the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS). They are testing the jet suit in the Lake District of northern England. The Lake District has lots of hills. The GNAAS usually uses helicopters here. But sometimes, the helicopters are busy. It sometimes takes doctors a long time to get to people.

Andy Mawson works for the GNAAS.

Mawson: "You know, for our paramedics to get on the scene within a matter of minutes, and recognise that can mean the difference between life and death."

Richard Browning works for Gravity Industries. He tested the jet suit. He flew up a hill. It took 90 seconds. Normally, it takes 25 minutes.

Andy Mawson likes the jet suit.

Mawson: "So, there is, you know, there's no real reason why in the fullness of time, that we won't see GNAAS paramedics using that technology, saving lives and easing suffering."