Flyboard Inventor Crosses English Channel

On August 4, Franky Zapata set a new record with the jet-powered Flyboard Air.

The inventor of the hovering device became the first person to ride it across the English Channel.

Zapata, who hails from France, began his career as an expert of jet skis and personal watercrafts.

Then in 2012, Zapata came up with his own watercraft, named the Flyboard.

A Flyboard rider stands on a board that is connected to a long hose, which pumps water into the device.

The water is then streamed through jet nozzles under the board, allowing the rider to climb out of the water and maneuver through the air.

The device became a sensation and launched a new type of sport called hydroflying.

After the success of his hydro-powered invention, Zapata set to work on a hoverboard that did not rely on water.

Instead, the new board was powered by five turbine engines and kerosene fuel, which was stored in a backpack.

Zapata introduced the Flyboard Air in 2016, and in the same year, he broke the record for the farthest flight by a hoverboard.

Then early this year, the French inventor announced his plans to cross the English Channel, the body of water between the United Kingdom and France.

In order to do so, he would have to ride the Flyboard Air for 35.4 kilometers.

On August 4, Zapata succeeded in making the arduous journey.

He flew for 22 minutes and reached a maximum speed of 170 kilometers per hour.

He stopped only once during that time to refuel, which he did by switching backpacks.

"Whether this is a historic event or not, I'm not the one to decide," Zapata said after his achievement.

"Time will tell." 

 

• hover  ˈhʌvər   (허공을) 맴돌다  ,   (수줍거나 자신감 없는 태도로 특히 다른 사람 주위를) 맴돌다[서성이다]

• hail  heɪl    (택시버스 등에[을]) 신호를 보내다[부르다]  ,  우박   hail from  …출신이다, …에서 태어났다

• watercraft  kræ̀ft  수상 기술 ((배·보트의 조종, 수영 등))  ,   [집합적] 배, 선박

• come up with  ~을 생각해내다 / 해답 등을 내놓다

• stream  striːm   줄줄[계속] 흐르다[흘러나오다]  / 개울, 시내 (→downstream, upstream, the Gulf Stream)  ,   (액체기체의) 줄기 (→bloodstream)

• maneuver  mənú:vər  연습시키다, 작전적으로 행동하게 하다, 교묘히 이동시키다, 계략을 써서 …하게 하다, 조종하다  / 책략 , 술책, 공작, 책동, 교묘한 조작[조치] 

• kerosene  ˈkerəsiːn   등유, (등불용) 석유

• store  백화점 (→chain store, variety store) /  저장[보관]하다  stored  축적된   storage  저장, 보관, 저장고, 보관소 (→cold storage)

• the body of water  수역,  해역,  물의 몸체

• arduous  |ɑːrdʒuəs  몹시 힘든, 고된