Okay, I haven't taken this up yet. But damn it looks like fun!!

A new parachute system known as the Gryphon has been designed by ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH and Dräger (not sure how youre meant to pronounce that). The Gryphon enables parachutists to fly through the air at high speed before opening their chutes, so they could be dropped miles away and fly to their intended targets.

The ESG Gryphon is aimed at the military market, where upon parachutists can be dropped up-to 40 kilometres away from the landing pad and then glide their silently and near invisible to any radar cover.

The next stage of development is to add small turbo jet drives which will increase the range even further and allow take offs from much lower heights. Batman eat your heart out.

From Coolest Gadgets.

Cute, I wonder how dangerous it is. Compared to lets say, Base Jumping.

I would suspect it's a lot less dangrous than base jumping, but would be more dangerous than standard sky diving.

Imagine soaring over 40kms!!

It would be insanely fun!

Read about a military version of this last night - with little propulsion jets it will take you up to 200 kilometres travelling at 300+kmph!! Now that would be insanely fun!!