It took a second try, but Franky Zapata has become the first to cross the English Channel using a hoverboard. The French inventor used his jet-powered Flyboard Air to travel the 22 miles from France to England in 22 minutes, briefly landing on a boat...
Somebody call Spider-Man, because I think we just spotted the Green Goblin! What you’re about to see is a jet-powered Flyboard Air being piloted at speeds up to 103.4 mph. This thing looks like a lot of fun. At least until something goes wrong and you nosedive toward the ground. I mean, there’s a reason this guy is wearing a parachute on his back. Luckily, he didn’t have to use it.
Imagine going this fast in a standing position, while in the air. It would be a scary ride, but super fun. You would feel like a God. You almost have to become the Green Goblin and start throwing pumpkins at Spider-Man and causing mayhem.
Seriously though, I would love to take a ride on this thing even if I would likely die upon landing. It would be quite an adrenaline rush on the way out, with jet engines strapped to your feet! Just the idea is nuts. We live in amazing times with some amazing gear, folks.
One look at the image below and you should know that when I say hoverboard distance world record, I don’t mean those dumb “hoverboards” with two wheels that will burn your house down. I am talking about a real flying hoverboard that will get you into the air.
This amazing flying contraption called the Flyboard Air was designed by Zapata Racing and piloted by Franky Zapata, and recently made the rounds on the internet with many questioning its authenticity.
Firmly disproving his cynics, Zapata stepped onto the Flyboard Air and proceeded to fly the device for 7,388 feet, destroying the previous Guinness World Record of a mere 905-feet, 2-inches set last year. During the flight, Zapata was about 164 feet in the air. He was followed by a jet ski and a boat since he flew over water. The record was set in Sausset-les-Pins in southern France. No video of the Guinness World Record flight has surfaced as of yet, but the test flight video shows the Flyboard Air in action.
Zapata claims his flying machine can reach 10,000 feet, a 93 mph top speed, and 10 minutes flight time. I’d so ride one of these to work every day, if I knew it wasn’t going to randomly toss me to the ground.
It took a second try, but Franky Zapata has become the first to cross the English Channel using a hoverboard. The French inventor used his jet-powered Flyboard Air to travel the 22 miles from France to England in 22 minutes, briefly landing on a boat...
There are some things man was not meant to do. Flying across the English Channel on a hoverboard may be one of them.
