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For other uses, see Zapata.Franky Zapata is a professional French personal watercraft pilot who is the inventor of the Flyboard Air and founder of Zapata Racing. Since 2012, all Zapata's efforts have been focused on the development and manufacture of personal flyers for land and aquatic applications.
| File:Franky Zapata y Lindsay McQueen volando juntos.jpgFranky Zapata on an aquatic Flyboard | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | France |
| Born | Marseille, France |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Jet Ski |
Biography
Franky started using a Jet Ski at the age of 16. He has won the RUN F1 World Championship several times. After many years of making PWCs, he invented the Flyboard.
He completed an apprenticeship as a mechanic. After gaining experience in jet skiing through competitions, he and his father Claude, founded Zapata Racing in 1998 , as a high-performance PWC competition team. He shaped shells, steering, arm and saddle-VNM and tunte machines for jet ski races. He has won several European championships and two world champion titles. , With expertise in hydro propulsion, the Zapata Racing Team now develops PWC related products.
Accomplishments in Competition
- 1996 : champion national SKI Stock
- 1997 : 3rd at the World Rally Championships raid Oléron RUN F1
- 1998 : champion European national championships RUN F1
- vice-champion du Monde Rallye Raid Oléron RUN F1
- 1999 : European champion RUN F1
- 2000 : Tour US RUN F1.
- 2001 : King of Bercy - Paris RUN F1
- 2003 : European vice-champion RUN F1
- 2004 : European vice-champion RUN F1
- 3rd at the World Rally Championships raid Oléron RUN F1
- 2005 : European Champion RUN F1
- 2006 : European Champion RUN F1, Vice World Rally Champion Oléron Rally RUN F1
- 2007 : European champion RUN F1, champion World Rally Championships raid Oléron RUN F1, vice-champion world de F1 SKI World Finals
- 2008 : European Champion RUN F1, World Champion RUN F1 World Finals, 3rd in world championships F1 SKI World Finals
- 2009 : vice-champion world F1 SKI, winner of the Cavalaire enduro Jet-Ski F1
- 2010 :European Champion RUN F1
Zapata Racing Gear
He started with a budget of 20,000 euros to develop the Flyboard. After several prototypes, he finally managed to stabilize the flyboard by means of underfoot and a hand stabilization in the air. After patenting the invention, he presented the Flyboard for the first time during the World Cup in China. The first flights were recorded and posted on YouTube and received 2.5 million views in just 15 days.
In April 2016, Zapata unveiled the Flyboard Air, a flight surfboard powered by four micro-turbines equipped with stabilizers to provide its pilots with approximately 140 km / h approximately ten minutes of flight time. In March 2017, there was a media incident: Zapata flew a Flyboard Air flew near Marseille-Provence airport and Airbus Helicopters in Marignane, much to the discomfort of the local flight authority. The Flyboard Air can fly autonomously as a plane and and is subject to regulations governing the overflight of airspace. Zapata flew unknowingly at this time, which led to the official threat of a flight ban and temporarily threatened the further development. Zapata used the incident to raise consumer and investor awareness. By negotiating with the relevant authorities, including the military, he was allowed to continue development. Further development is planned in the areas of leisure, entertainment, military, medicine and industry.
Flyboard Air
In April 2016, Zapata presented the Flyboard Air, a device powered by four micro turbojets and able to carry the pilot for flights of several minutes .
On July 14, 2019 , Franky Zapata participated in the Bastille Day military parade riding his invention.
Hoverboard by ZR
Hoverboard by ZR, invented in 2014, is a mix between a surfboard and a skateboard. It is operated by a remote-controlled personal watercraft (PWC) which powers a water pump. The hoverboard has been discontinued.
JetPack by ZR
The JetPack is powered by water pumped from a PWC (under remote control) via a tube connected to two nozzles on the flyer. The system allows the user to fly in a seated, secured position and is less dependent on the rider’s balance and dexterity to fly. The JetPack is so stable that, once in the air, a user can even let go of the controls and stay flying in a hovering position.
References
- "Overview". zapata.com. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
- "» Franky Zapata : L'homme volant Journal gratuit d'information et des événements de la côte bleue". journal-calanques.fr. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
- Le Flyboard Air ou l'art de se déplacer en volant - France Info, 3 mai 2016
- Air Flyboard unveiled by Franky Zapata
- Élysée (2019-07-14), Défilé du 14 juillet 2019, retrieved 2019-07-15
- "Hoverboard by ZR®". zapata.com. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
- "Jet Pack by ZR®". zapata.com. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
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