Romanian inventor Iustin Capra (also known as Justin Capra), the man who claimed he invented the first flying backpack, better known as the jetpack, in the 1950s, died on Monday, January 19. He was 81 and suffered from diabetes, according to Mediafax.

Iustin Capra was one of Romania’s most famous inventors and received several prizes in international inventions’ exhibitions. However, his merits were also contested by some who thought that his inventions were not practical.

An aviation engineer by education, Capra had 114 inventions in his portfolio, which include 72 prototypes of vehicles with low fuel consumption, seven flight devices and 15 unconventional engines.

His best known invention is a flying backpack, which he invented in 1956. His prototype never went into production, but he claimed that the jetpack produced by American group Bell some three years later was similar to his. According to some media sources, in 2002 that the Americans officially recognized the novel idea belonged Justin Capra.

editor@romania-insider.com