The jet flying board is the personal vehicle of the future. Video of the day: first tests of the jet flying board Flyboard Air Jet flying board
The other day, professional water racer and inventor from France Frankie Zapata posted on YouTube an exciting video of testing a new version of his flying jet. Flyboards Air.
Using a turbojet engine, the device creates thrust, making it possible to lift a person to a maximum height of about 3 km. While the project is at an early stage of development, the device is already capable of staying in the air for up to 10 minutes. Letting your imagination run wild, you can imagine potential races using Flyboard Air and JB-9 jetpacks (remember). By the way, Flyboard Air is capable of developing maximum speed at 150 km/h.
Once upon a time, the French champion in jet ski racing already managed to surprise the world. This happened in 2011, when the original Flyboard aquatic model was released - a jet platform for which Frankie was nicknamed “Aquaman”. The jets of water thrown out by the Flyboard water-jet propulsion allowed the “pilot” to rise high above the surface of the water to a height of about 9 m, performing stunning and breathtaking “aerobatic maneuvers”. More versatile in terms of travel environment, the Flyboard Air is definitely a step above the original Flyboard, and with Frankie Zapata's experience and enthusiasm in this direction, we can safely say that this project has a high chance of success.
As for the testing itself, these are only the first tests. The speed, of course, is far from 150 km/h, and the flight altitude is still limited to a more modest 30 m. But this is just the beginning. Further comments are unnecessary, we invite you to enjoy the video.
Extreme sportsman and former jet ski world champion Frankie Zapata could not contain his irritation when flyboards were banned in his native France. “This is how innovators are treated in our country,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “And this is after we have already produced more than 10 thousand flyboards with the inscription “Made in France”!” However, it is time to sympathize with the officials responsible for regulating air traffic. “It cannot be allowed” - who dares to put a comma in the appropriate one, with from the developers' point of view, the place, if the new product violates a number of legal requirements, and generally looks somehow... unsafe?
Somersaults over the water
Discoverer new area Frankie Zapata became an extreme sportsman back in 2005, when the startup he founded, Zapata Industries, introduced the Flyboard flying platform. The device lifts the pilot to a height of up to 16 m under the pressure of a stream of water, which a powerful pump forces through a thick pipe connected to the flyboard from the jet ski. And while beach lovers are carefully exploring unusual look entertainment, athletes are already performing the most complex acrobatic stunts on it, and in 2016 they held the first world championship among Flyboard pilots.
Flyboard Air EXP
Weight 25.1 kg Load capacity 102 kg Maximum speed 150 km/h Ceiling height 1524 m Fuel tank capacity 23.3 l Flight duration 10 min.
Meanwhile, Zapata himself and his engineers made another evolutionary leap and finally abandoned the “tether”: Flyboard Air flyboards are equipped with four 250-horsepower jet engines that are powered by kerosene fuel from a tank located in the backpack behind the pilot. No pipes, no wires - only a control panel in your hand, only careful tilts of the flying platform, only the sky, and the wind, and the roar of the engines.
Jet engines are Zapata Industries’ own development, created on the basis of the JetCat model, and the designers are especially proud of it: “Try to design an engine that, with such a small weight (about 3 kg), produces more than 30 kg of thrust and does not consume tens of liters of fuel per minute,” The company's chief engineer, Christian Alibar, told us. — I'm really proud of this development, especially latest version Flyboard Air EXP. It’s impossible to list how many problems we had to solve, especially with the balancing and control system. What caused the most trouble was the algorithm that compensates for wind, weight redistribution due to pilot movements, fuel consumption, etc. But the result was something that has no analogues.”
“I spread my arms because it turned out to be more convenient to control the movement. And it felt like my wings had opened, and there was nothing under my feet... It’s impossible to describe.”
Leap into the future
“Officially, I will deny everything,” Christian continues, “but in general, of course, we were inspired by Marty McFly and his flying skateboard from the second part of Back to the Future.” The prospects for mass use, like in the movies, were taken into account by the developers from the very beginning. They tried to create a flyboard that ordinary people, not necessarily such experts, could control aerial acrobatics, like Frankie Zapata, who personally tested Flyboard Air in flight in the spring of 2016. “Frankie’s amazing sense of balance saved us a lot of stress, but for ordinary people we tried to create, if not perfect, then close to perfect, a balancing system,” says Alibar.
The uneven operation of jet engines is compensated by a system of gyroscopes powered by independent batteries. In addition, the platform is supported by a pair of additional propfan motors with very low inertia. Flyboard Air is stable and easy to control: you can get used to the “board” in a couple of hours, although the standard pre-flight training course takes one day.
“Four jet engines, an advanced stabilization system with high redundancy... I wanted Flyboard Air to give people complete freedom and the ability to fly as if the platform was a natural extension of them. own body, says Frankie Zapata. “Our flyboard and our technologies will be pioneers among the personal aircraft of the future. This is just a small sample of what is expected, and we are pleased to be recognized as pioneers in this area.”
Step into the sky
We, born to walk, do not find it very easy to master active movement through the air. It is not for nothing that not a single Flyboard Air pilot has yet climbed to the maximum design altitude (more than 3 km). Even the most experienced Zapata was greatly impressed by the flyboard tests. “I was very nervous before my first flight, although as soon as I took off, my doubts disappeared. It was an indescribable delight,” says the pilot. Tests that took place in April 2016 made the new product known throughout the world, and the video was watched by almost 8 million YouTube users. We may be on the verge of another sport, and then a means of transportation.
All that remains is to demonstrate the reliability and safety of the flyboard and achieve free flight over France and other countries of the world. In the meantime, the developers urge you to approach the new product with caution. “No matter how perfect the Flyboard Air is, it’s worth remembering that you’re actually flying at a speed of over 100 km/h, and even with 20 liters of aviation fuel behind you. It's quite risky, admits Christian Alibar. Frankie thinks the risk is worth it. I think so too, but decide for yourself how acceptable this is for you.”
Following the example of Sikorsky
Zapata Industries' area of interest is not limited to flyboards. The company's engineers have developed and, not without success, sold the Runabout jet ski - according to the creators, the lightest (200 kg) and fastest (up to 135 km/h) in the world.
But truly futuristic projects are yet to come: the company’s developments include the Jet Bike hoverbike, which is being created for the needs of the military, rescuers and doctors, as well as Air Stretcher drones for delivering cargo, transporting the sick and helping people working in remote and hard-to-reach areas. “Here we are somewhat repeating the story of Sikorsky. Have you seen the newsreel of the first tests of his helicopter? It looks like some kind of creepy attraction,” says Christian Alibar. “But after a couple of years, helicopters began to transport cargo and save lives... So our solutions, developed in Flyboard Air, will definitely move to a new level.”
Time for innovation
The Flyboard Air project is supported by Breitling - and this is not the only evidence of the commitment of the world famous manufacturer of Swiss watches and chronographs to constant technological innovation. Last year, Breitling debuted a model made from ultra-strong and ultra-light patented Breitlight material.
It is a high-tech polymer reinforced with carbon fiber. The recipe for its production is kept secret, but it uses ordinary, widely produced carbon fiber, mixed with a “secret” liquid under high pressure and in a strictly defined proportion. Jean-Paul Girardin, vice president of Breitling, spoke about the new product at the Baselworld exhibition “Popular Mechanics”.
— Initially, we did not plan to use Brightlight for the manufacture of watch cases, but when it turned out that it is 3.5 times lighter than titanium, 5.8 times lighter than steel and significantly stronger than them, our engineers developed a technology for producing cases for chronometers from it. The Avenger Hurricane watch with a brightlight case debuted a year ago, and this year we introduced the new limited edition Avenger Hurricane Military. The watch is equipped with our proprietary chronograph movement and time display in 24-hour format. Take them in your hands - how do you feel?
— The first impression, of course, is amazing lightness. And the surface of the case is very unusual to the touch...
— Yes, both in appearance and to the touch the material is a bit like marble. It has an original texture, which, in fact, makes each brightlight watch unique. Please also note that the material is warm and feels comfortable on the wrist. Even a very impressive watch weighs only 54 g. Finally, Brightlight is a hypoallergenic material.
— What other technological advances? recent years can you mark?
— First of all, of course, our first proprietary split-seconds chronograph Navitimer Rattrapante, which allows you to measure the duration of two processes occurring simultaneously. The automatic caliber B03 became, one might say, the first mass-produced split-seconds chronograph. It is quite thin, only 1.2 mm larger than the standard B01 chronograph. We have simplified the split module, reducing the number of its parts to only 28 pieces, increasing its reliability. By simplifying the mechanism, we were able to please our customers with a more affordable price.
— Why was the new product introduced only recently?
“We were in no hurry to present it: we had to check everything very carefully. Therefore, the launch of this model took place only four years later - later than the B04, B05 and B06 mechanisms. Our Breitling Chronometrie manufactory has reached full strength: we are now almost completely independent of third-party suppliers and have even signed an agreement with Rolex to supply B01 chronographs for its “junior” brand Tudor. This is a mutually beneficial historical cooperation between two watch houses. At any moment we can double production, and if more machinery is needed, nothing prevents us from building another building.
Over the centuries, humanity has been developing and moving forward thanks to the achievements of scientific and technological progress. And at its forefront, as history shows, are not countries and corporations, but talented inventors and enthusiasts. It is their innovative ideas that turn into industrial sectors and entire sciences. So it was with the Montgolfier brothers - inventors hot air balloon, and Pierre Lallement, the creator of the first bicycle.
The new century gives birth to new dreamers capable of creating amazing things. One such person is French inventor Frankie Zapata. He is known to many as the world champion in jet ski racing and the creator extreme look sport "Flyboard".
Surely you have seen on the beaches, people fly above the water surface on a board to which a hose is attached. Streams of water escaping from under the board create jet thrust, which is enough for a person to perform unusual somersaults in the air. This amazing contraption is called the “Flyboard”, and Zapata invented it in 2012. The Flyboard has a number of annoying limitations.
Firstly, it is tightly tied to a jet ski, which pumps water into it under high pressure. Secondly, it is impossible to climb higher than 15 meters on it. Thirdly, you can only fly over the water surface or near the water. It was these frameworks that prompted Frankie Zapata to create his new creation - “Flyboard Air”.
The new “flying board” is deprived of any connection with the ground. No more hoses, no more water, no more jet skis. Only a pilot and a “Flyboard Air” with a powerful turbine built into its bottom. Of course, for this entire structure to work, fuel is needed. It is stored on the pilot's back in a special tank. You can control the board using the remote control in your hand. In a new demonstration video, Zapata was able to reach speeds of over 165 kilometers per hour.
It is unlikely that “Flyboard Air” will become available to everyone in the near future, because it is a rather dangerous way to entertain yourself. And if you don't professional sportsman with a magnificent physical training, you probably shouldn't stand on this board. But a successful future for this invention is already guaranteed.
In August last year, the American company Implant Sciences, which produces means for detecting traces of explosives, became interested in Zapata’s invention. She negotiated with the inventor and decided to offer Flyboard Air jet boards to the American military. According to Implant Sciences, jet flying boards will be of interest to the US military because they are easy to operate (the training course lasts only 20 hours) and significantly increase the mobility of fighters.
Introduced by Frank Zapata in 2011, the “water board” has already become fashionable. extreme entertainment, allowing you to experience the sensation of flying over water. Five years later, the former jet ski racer introduced a new invention - a jet flying board.
Zapata called his jetpack analog Flyboard Air. Compared to the previous invention, the device does not require any underwater parts and allows the “rider” to fly completely freely wherever he pleases. The flying board is powered by a turbojet engine and, in theory, can take you to a height of up to 3,000 meters. The maximum flight time is 10 minutes.
This weekend, Frankie Zapata posted a video of the first test of the Flyboard Air. The athlete personally tested the jet board, rising to a height of 30 meters and flying around the lake. The tests were carried out over water, because even a minor malfunction in the engine would make the extreme sportsman fall like a stone to the ground. A backpack with fuel hanging over your shoulders would only aggravate the situation. By the way, a parachute at such a height is useless - it simply won’t have time to open.
Safety concerns aside, the Flyboard Air is amazing and has the potential to become a new trend in personal flying, rivaling jetpacks and
