‘It’s all jetpack, baby.’ Yellowknifer takes to the skies

For Yellowknife flyboarder Tanner Klochko, pushing the limits has always been part of the plan. Now, he’s taking that ambition from the water to the air. 

Klochko has been behind some of the North’s more ambitious adventures, including a 2021 project at McNallie Creek Falls that involved a helicopter, jet ski, flyboard and waterfall. (A flyboard uses water jets to propel someone around.)

Now, he has moved on to something even more extreme: jetpack flight. 

“That came across my table and I immediately took the chance,” Klochko told Cabin Radio.

He recently travelled to the United Kingdom to train with Gravity Industries, one of two companies in the world offering jetpack flight training. He completed 16 flights, working toward becoming Canada’s first certified jetpack pilot. 

Unlike a flyboard and its water jets, a jetpack uses turbine engines connected directly to the pilot. Klochko says it’s like a fighter jet strapped to his body.

“It’s a beast that demands respect, but it’s so much fun,” he said. 

It took time for Klochko to become comfortable with the machine. Things finally starting to click around his 12th flight. 

He said 14 years working at the NWT’s Ekati diamond mine helped fund the project and gave him the time off he needs to pursue his adventures.

“The years working at Ekati gave me the freedom for the two weeks off to do what I need,” he said, referring to the shift-based nature of northern mining. “It funds my crazy adventures.”

Klochko hopes to soon bring the jetpack closer to home.

“I can picture bringing this gear and the Gravity team here to Yellowknife, and we can put on a show,” he said. 

For Klochko, the goal goes beyond showcasing the technology. He hopes seeing jetpack flight in person could inspire someone else to pursue an interest of their own. 

He also continues to dream up new adventures, including plans to take his flyboarding project to a glacial pool near Whitehorse next spring. 

Wherever he flies, he keeps one companion with him: a Deadmau5 helmet, inspired by the Canadian EDM artist.

Klochko bought it as a prop for an EDM festival, but it has since become part of his everyday life, travelling with him for flyboarding, jetpacking and trips around the world. 

Mastering the jetpack will take time, money and continued training, he acknowledges.

“I know in my heart that I’ll be able to pull it off,” he said. “It’s just timing.”