Jet-pack attraction gives visitors chance to walk on water near Las Vegas
A million-dollar man-made lake is giving thrill-seekers the chance to walk on water — and maybe try no-handed flying — just an hour away from Las Vegas.
It’s not a miracle, it’s a jet pack.
Walking on water is one of several stunts pilots can learn from the professionals of Jetpack America inside the rapidly expanding Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club in Pahrump, owned by John Morris and Brad Rambo.
About 500 customers have flown over the lake since opening in October.
“If you’re killing it out there, you can try some of the tricks,” said flight center manager Chris Wilson.
Dean O’Malley, president of Jetpack America, wrote in an email to the Review-Journal that “basic tricks include walking on water, doughnut turns, underwater submarines, no-handed flying. More advanced maneuvers include helicopter spins, boat landings and take-offs, corkscrews and backflips.”
Jet-packing is not to be confused with a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list item, spokesman Eric Longabardi said.
“We’re not just willy-nilly flying a few people here and a few people there … We’re trying to go mainstream.”
It’s estimated that more than 15,000 people have already flown with Jetpack America since launching in 2011. The company calls Newport Beach, Calif., home and has its second location in San Diego. Three people are employed in Pahrump.
Like riding a Jet Ski or wake-boarding, it’s only a matter of time until jet-packing becomes popular, Longabardi says.
“We’ve flown a guy at (age) 85,” Wilson said. Kids as young as 5 can fly tandem with an instructor, he added.
Private wells pumped water into the 5-acre freshwater lake. The $1 million price includes digging the lake bed, lining it and filling it to 11 feet deep. Owners did not wish to elaborate on their investment, O’Malley said.
The desert oasis is preparing for its first summer, “working feverishly” to put the finishing touches on the facility at 3601 state Highway 160.
A volleyball court, horseshoe pit and cabanas will complete the beach atmosphere by the end of May, O’Malley said. There are plans for a bar and grill that will open mid-summer, he said.
He’s trying to encourage tourists to break away from the Strip and spend the day at the ranch that houses the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School, Radical Racing School, Cadillac V-Series Academy and, now, Jetpack America.
Up to 20 people per day can “experience the wonder of personal flight.” The Southern Nevada location owns only one of the nearly $10,000 units for the time being, Wilson said. Others will be purchased as the need increases.
From a Jet Ski about 10 feet away, Wilson directed 22-year-old Shelby Hughes through a walkie-talkie helmet on her first attempt at jet-packing Friday.
At first, Hughes said she was scared, but fear gave way to excitement once she was in the air. Her large grin could be seen from the shore.
Not everyone is impressed by the new sport.
Rangers at Lake Mead did not approve of the innovative personal water craft, Wilson said, which is why the company chose to build on private property.
“It’s easier to say ‘no’ than to figure out how you’re going to law it.”
Same-day appointments are possible, but O’Malley recommends scheduling ahead.
For $179, first-timers can fly for 15 minutes after completing a one-hour training. Wilson urges customers to upgrade to 25 minutes of flight time for $80 more, because he says it can take about 10 minutes to get comfortable with the equipment and being 10 to 15 feet above the water.
Contact Kimberly De La Cruz at Kdelacruz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @KimberlyinLV
