page_title: Franky Zapata
hierarchical_section_title: Franky Zapata
caption_attribution_description: English: The Flyboard was invented in Autumn 2012 by a French water-craft rider, Franky Zapata
context_page_description: Franky Zapata is a French personal watercraft pilot who is the inventor of the Flyboard and Flyboard Air, founder of Zapata Racing. Since 2012, Zapata's efforts have been focused on the development and manufacture of personal flyers for land and aquatic applications.
  On 4 August 2019, Zapata crossed the English Channel in 22 minutes, with a refuelling stop at midpoint, on a Flyboard Air. His 35-kilometre journey was completed with an escort from several French helicopters and warships, and aided by a backpack fuel reservoir.
context_section_description: Franky Zapata ([fʁɑ̃ki zapata]; born 27 September 1978) is a French personal watercraft pilot who is the inventor of the Flyboard and Flyboard Air, founder of Zapata Racing. Since 2012, Zapata's efforts have been focused on the development and manufacture of personal flyers for land and aquatic applications.
  On 4 August 2019, Zapata crossed the English Channel in 22 minutes, with a refuelling stop at midpoint, on a Flyboard Air. His 35-kilometre (22 mi) journey was completed with an escort from several French helicopters and warships, and aided by a backpack fuel reservoir.
caption: Franky Zapata on an aquatic flyboard.
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