For a very long time, humans have made various efforts to fly like a bird (some even died). They even got a big success in 1903 when the Wright brothers made the first working airplane.
But still, sitting inside a plane doesn’t give that much of a thrill, for instance, sky diving or any other sport would do. And ever since, people have made efforts to build more futuristic technologies like the hoverboard.
In what looks straight out of a Sci-Fi movie, French inventor Franky Zapata has successfully managed to cross the English Channel while flying on his jet-powered hoverboard which he has aptly named “Flyboard Air.”
Before you assume, Zapata’s hoverboard isn’t something flying a few inches above the ground. High in the sky, it took him around 22 minutes to cross the English channel while reaching jaw-dropping speeds of up to 170km/hr.
He started from Sangatte (near Calais) in France and completed his flight in St Margaret’s Bay in Dover, covering a distance of around 33kms.
Though his tech is a lot different (and he doesn’t wear anything like the ‘Mark’ suit), the incident surely reminds me of Iron Man and maybe it’s an indication of the future that is about to come.
He started creating the hoverboard around three years ago and it has been demoed at various occasions including the last month’s Bastille Day parade in Paris.
This was the second attempt by the 40-year-old inventor. The last time he tried was on July 25 when he fell in the water while refueling off of a boat. Now, he has managed to make history this time.
In the second attempt, he successfully refueled mid-air by changing his backpack carrying the fuel. He was escorted by three helicopters during the superfast aerial ride.
“We made a machine three years ago… and now we’ve crossed the Channel, it’s crazy. Whether this is a historic event or not, I’m not the one to decide that, time will tell,” Zapata said in front of the press after his successful mission.
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