OK, so he’s more an Evel Knievel/Tony Stark combo, really…
But whomever you compare him to, French inventor and former elite jet skier Franky Zapata made history as the first person to cross the English Channel by jet-powered hoverboard.
It took Zapata a total of 20 minutes to travel the 22-mile channel between Sangatte on France’s northern coast and St. Margaret’s Bay, England.
2nd time’s a charm
Zapata attempted the feat for the first time last month, only to fall into the water attempting to land on a boat-mounted platform in order to refuel.
He was forced to refuel midway again on Sunday, but this time he did so successfully.
What does this mean?
A report from TechCrunch shows that airways are already overcrowded in the ever-evolving airspace, with commercial and private airliners as well as new technology such as cargo drones.
But, while Japan aims to have people driving flying cars by the 2030s, hoverboards still represent a novelty more than they do a future utility.
But, according to Zapata, that’s not to say it won’t change in the future. When asked how to measure the historic importance of this feat, Zapata told Reuters, “Time will tell.”
