We have lift off..
 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-franky-zapata

0908 French time Wednesday....link to French TV feed below (adverts permitting, local broadcasting rules apply etc )

https://www.bfmtv.com/mediaplayer/live-video/


Edit to add: ..Oh dear, according to one on the scene it seems to have gone all Pete Thong during or just prior to the mid-channel refuelling. The "pilot" (Zapata) is said to be OK.

Some most impressive gentleman but certainly a high risk venture. I admire this inventor's spirit risking his life to improve his self designed air vehicles. He is certainly no naive desperado and there is some smart backup system built in.

Call me pedantic, but if he's stopping to refuel enroute, its not really a channel crossing...

Quite agree

Well if we're going to be really pedantic, it would still be a Channel crossing, just not a non-stop one.

The U.S. Navy's Curtiss NC-4: First Across the Atlantic

This is why he intended some air to air refueling while staying airborne. However this time he collided with the the fueling ship when closing in.

Right, be ready to see my channel crossing (non non-stop) without using any jet pack. I just need to find a large number of boats and jump between them flapping my arms... ;)

Air-to-air refuelling ?

You mean the ship didn't get airborne in time ? :O

Should have said sea to air. He wanted to stay flying all the time.

I watched him perform at the French GP a few weeks back. Very impressive. He flew around the track and hovered over the grid before returning to land at the strip next to the course. Very fast and loud but (apparently), quite easy to control....apart, it would seem, when trying to land on a boat in the middle of the Channel...

I can see this in a year or so competing with e scooters and e skateboards and causing havoc on the roads and pavements (sidewalks). Ideal for commuters of course until someone gets killed - oh, they already have - no safety, no training - just hop and and go - As bad as idiot cyclists with their ear pods blasting

Um..do you really think this will be on roads..really...? As far as training, I think you should take a look at his website before you make sweeping comments - you'll see there is a pretty comprehensive training program in place.

https://zapata.com/

Straight from the website (emphasis mine):

Flyboard Air™

Intuitive Flight Controls

• Very easy to learn.
• Designed to be flown without pilot training.
• Designed around the human body and our natural ability to balance.
• Safely train on the water Flyboard®

Latest word I heard was that he was shot down by a ship at sea

I can already imagine a new type of air race.
(With or without the use of a rifle).

Start selling them to the migrants! There's a market

Successful crossing this morning: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49225001

P.S. Can the Mods please change the title.

Now this looks like a lot of fun.
 

Was thinking of posting this in the electric aircraft thread, but as it's neither electric or an aircraft I thought I would start a new thread.
He just crossed the channel on it. I understand he had to land on a boat to re-fuel. But it really looks like it would be a lot of fun to play around on.

I gather he had to refuel in the "hover", since it was to be a non-stop flight.