Failed was the first attempt of a French inventor to cross the English Channel with one AirScootera small helicopter -like vehicle, which was forced to access a technical problem shortly before reaching Dover, England, on Friday (25.7.25).
46-year-old Frankie Zapata, a former Jet-Ski champion, is also called a “flying man” after six years ago crossed the Channel with one flyboard, A “flying board”. At that time, he had succeeded in the second attempt.
“We had a small technical problem and preferred the access, it was a scenario we had predicted, if it was facing serious difficulties,” explained Lionel Ziorzi, the security officer’s security officer.
“We have an electric parachute (…) and was immediately able to be added,” he added, clarifying that he was quickly recovered a boat and “it is a body and harmless”.
Crossing the Channel as a tune: “We have been on this machine for three years,” explains Laurent Aulagnier, embedded systems engineer from Franky Zapata pic.twitter.com/ogK7NGh5Pz
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) July 25, 2025
Alert – Franck’s Airscooter #Zapata just fell into the sleeve. pic.twitter.com/PpM4iI0KSr
— Actu React Info (@actureact_info) July 25, 2025
Zapatas took off from Blind – beach, a beach named after Louis Brigario, the first man to cross the Channel by plane, just 116 years ago.
“Today is a feast day, it is the end of a five -year, intensive research and development,” he said before his departure, admitting that he felt “a little stressed”.
What is airscooter
Airscooter is a type of helicopter with a hybrid engine that reaches 100 kilometers and takes off vertically.
Zapatas started flights with this flying device, weighing 115kg, which he is intended for “recreational purposes” just a few weeks ago.
It aspires by the beginning of 2026 to build a center of recreational flight in Las Vegas, open to everyone.
Based on US regulations, no pilot license is needed to fly with this “super -vehicle”.
“The goal is to throw away friends, family, my team first. And then, everyone who loves flights, “he said.