By MATTHEW SIVYER
An 'air scooter' crashed into the English Channel just short of the cliffs of Dover in an attempt to fly from the French Coast to Dover in the vessel.
The vehicle was created by French company Zapata and was flown by its CEO Franky Zapata, who says the aim of the project is to be able to 'take off from your garden and land in your friend's garden'.
The "air scooter" crash near the cliffs of Dover happened during an ambitious attempt by French inventor Franky Zapata, CEO of French company Zapata, to fly the vessel from the French coast to Dover across the English Channel. The vehicle is a hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft designed to be simple to fly, supposedly enabling someone to "take off from your garden and land in your friend’s garden."
Despite a successful launch from France, the flight was cut short due to a technical malfunction mid-flight, forcing Zapata to perform an emergency water landing just short of the English coast near Dover. The crash was not due to pilot error but rather a mechanical or system failure in the air scooter that left no option other than ditching safely in the water. Zapata had even stated that he was flying without a parachute, emphasizing confidence in the aircraft’s safety and control systems.
This attempt was a proof of concept designed to showcase the vehicle's long-range capabilities and the ease of piloting it compared to traditional aircraft. Zapata previously crossed the Channel on a different flying device, the Flyboard Air, which required much higher piloting skill. The air scooter aims to democratize personal flight and is more automated with computer systems controlling much of the flight path.
In summary, the crash happened because the "air scooter" experienced a technical glitch mid-flight, forcing a controlled emergency landing into the Channel. Despite this, the event demonstrated significant progress in personal VTOL aircraft technology and the ongoing efforts to create practical, easy-to-fly flying machines.
