French Inventor Successfully Crossed The English Channel In The Second Attempt

The second time is the charm for Franky Zapata, a French inventor as he has successfully crossed the English Channel when standing on a hoverboard after the first attempt failed in July. Zapata’s departure spot was Sangatte, France and his destination was Dover, England. The whole trip lasts for 22 minutes, and the hoverboard traveled at a speed of 106 miles per hour.

According to The Guardian, the inventor had to stop midway for a fuel refill as he could only carry supply for 10 minutes in the air.

This is his second time trying to cross the English Channel. The first time took place at the end of July and Zapata crashed to the water when he was trying to touch down on the refueling platform. After that failure, the inventor announced that he would try again, this time, with a larger platform.

In 2011, Franky Zapata created the first Flyboard that had a water jet to get the person riding it through the air. Later, he made the Flyboard Air, a device operates by the power of four turbojet engines. He set a world record in 2016 after making the longest trip on the hoverboard along France’s South Cost, covering a distance of 2,252 meters.

He also made a show in mid-July in France’s Bastille Day while standing on the hoverboard with a gun in his hands. The device has attracted the attention of the defense industry, bring him and his company a €1.3m grant contract.

Apart from Zapata, another inventor is also working on a jet-powered transport for personal use. Richard Browning, a British national, has made a jet suit with six turbo engines that users will strap to their arms.