The bit where they get the detail wrong is: the VTOL generates a puff of air about the diameter of the wings, once. What it would actually need to generate is a huge blast on the order of a helicopter lifting off, continuously at least for the first few seconds. A single blast would leave it plummeting and it would need to pull some harsh gees to get up past stalling speed before it made a splat on the ground. Looking at the animation, maybe it was doing exactly that - but how did her arms not snap off?
Possible methodology:
- Explosive single VTOL blast.
- Plummeting with the jet throttled to max.
- Wing-in-ground effect lowers effective stall speed so acceleration can proceed skimming inches over the ground.
- Up to speed and lifting away from the ground to full flight.
It sounds crudely plausible, but terrifying and not something to do without mad skills.
ah no but don't you both see? A key component of the craft is that it is a glider, in most if not all scenes there is the clear presence of extremely strong wind, which would keep it held in the air - and not just for a few seconds! Look at the landing clip for example, where she hangs off it and the clear indication of strong wind. All that was required was the sudden VTOL blast to get the wing into the air current so it could generate lift.
I hope we can all settle on this explanation and agree they are visionaries. ;)
Possible methodology:
- Explosive single VTOL blast.
- Plummeting with the jet throttled to max.
- Wing-in-ground effect lowers effective stall speed so acceleration can proceed skimming inches over the ground.
- Up to speed and lifting away from the ground to full flight.
It sounds crudely plausible, but terrifying and not something to do without mad skills.