Aircraft

Zapata launches 250-km/h, flip-capable, jet-powered flying deck chair

Zapata launches 250-km/h, flip-capable, jet-powered flying deck chair
Franky Zapata is back with another epic jet-powered flying machine
Franky Zapata is back with another epic jet-powered flying machine
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Franky Zapata is back with another epic jet-powered flying machine
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Franky Zapata is back with another epic jet-powered flying machine
Simple control scheme... We wonder which one's the flip button?
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Simple control scheme... We wonder which one's the flip button?
A carbon fiber racing seat lifted by ten micro jet turbines
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A carbon fiber racing seat lifted by ten micro jet turbines
A pretty neat-looking jigger
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A pretty neat-looking jigger
Zapata enjoys a spectacular sunset from the best seat in the house
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Zapata enjoys a spectacular sunset from the best seat in the house
Speeds up to 250 km/h (155mph) are possible, as well as altitudes up to 10,000 ft (3048 m) ... and flips. Yikes.
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Speeds up to 250 km/h (155mph) are possible, as well as altitudes up to 10,000 ft (3048 m) ... and flips. Yikes.
Zapata flies his own creation in a very cool promo video
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Zapata flies his own creation in a very cool promo video
View gallery - 7 images

When we last saw Franky Zapata back in May, he was spinning uncontrollably down into the water from a serious height in a terrifying jetboard crash. But the flying Frenchman is back to launch a new, high-speed personal aircraft called the JetRacer.

Zapata has already built a resume most would be proud of. A former jet ski world champion, he went on to invent the Flyboard, a jet ski attachment that re-routes its water jets to let users rise out of the water like the love-child of Aquaman and Iron Man. Before long, he'd ditched the jet ski altogether, and moved to jet turbines to create the Flyboard Air, which allowed him to zoom around like the Green Goblin and set all sorts of records, on nothing more than a backpack full of kerosene fuel. He also built an "Ezfly" version with handles, a Segway of the skies for the rest of us, for whom no quantity of brown undies would ever suffice.

The latest vehicle in the Zapata stable builds on this small-turbine technology base but takes things in a new direction. The JetRacer is effectively a carbon-fiber bucket seat that flies on the thrust from 10 of the same small jets that power the Flyboards.

A carbon fiber racing seat lifted by ten micro jet turbines
A carbon fiber racing seat lifted by ten micro jet turbines

In some senses, it's a fair bit like the small manned multicopter drones that are beginning to pop up here and there – take the Jetson One, for example. The parallels are there in terms of the basic airframe, distributed, redundant propulsion, lots of automation, and a drone-style tilt-to-fly layout, complete with a super-simple and highly automated control system.

The differences are fairly significant, though, starting with the fact that these jet turbines are hideously loud and very hot. And unlike props driven by electric motors, jet turbines can't spool up quickly enough to perform the dozens of tiny corrections every second these types of aircraft need to make to balance themselves in the air. So it seems Zapata has rigged up some kind of thrust-vectoring arrangement under each of the jets, for quick-response adjustments and some pretty crazy agility.

In this respect, it's a little like Mayman Aerospace's Speeder flying motorcycle – although that machine is designed not only to fly on vertical thrust, but to deploy wings for super high-speed horizontal flight well above the 250 km/h (155 mph) Zapata claims the JetRacer is capable of hitting.

Zapata enjoys a spectacular sunset from the best seat in the house
Zapata enjoys a spectacular sunset from the best seat in the house

Zapata says the JetRacer is designed for civilian as well as military work. Its primary design objective is high speed and maneuverability, even at the cost of a "relatively short range." Its targeted peak altitude is 3,000 m (~10,000 ft), and it's capable of lifting up to 200 kg (441 lb) of person or cargo – the latter under remote or autonomous control.

One thing it can do that we've never seen anyone else in the space attempt is rippin' sick flips. True to his mile-wide daredevil streak, Zapata has built in what we assume is a single-button stunt command, that blasts the JetRacer into a very fast and scary-looking 360-degree roll. This is already up and running on the prototype, as evidenced by the video below – although thankfully there doesn't seem to be anyone in it when this thing flips. We don't imagine it'll be long before Franky's busting out bulk barrel rolls in front of audiences.

Zapata is yet to set out any kind of production or sale schedule, or pricing. Indeed, this device may well remain in the realm of the flight demo for some time. But the company is putting out the call for volunteers to go and have a crack at flying this thing. One hundred people will be drawn for selection tests, which will whittle the list down to 25 people, who'll get the chance to fly the JetRacer in the US at some point. Um, yes please.

Check out a video below.

JETRACER®: THE FIRST FLYING CAR AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC (by ZAPATA COMPANY)

Source: Zapata

View gallery - 7 images
12 comments
12 comments
Static
Needs to be quiet and electric.
Company is wasting its time with jet screaming engines.
Towerman
Agree with Static why they keep on messing with screaming unreliable turbines is beyond me. Batteries are good enough for sport flying already.

Looks like fun though making the next version electric will make me a patriot.
Chase
@Static and @Towerman, because Li-Ion batteries still do not have a high enough power to weight ratio to get the same performance you can with kerosene. In time, next generation formulations will change that status quo but while waiting for battery tech to mature further companies and lunatics can work out control systems, ergonomics, and form factors so that they are ready to go.
Steven Clarkson
@Chase
Not so, like tower said battery tech density is already good enough for sport flying. See the latest listing on this site, the airspeeder is getting 20 minutes of flight on only batteries time to upgrade and lose the noisy/maintenence heavy/ stinky stove stokers already
EH
How many minutes will it fly with a 150-200 lb load?
Towerman
@EH Enough for some good racing entertainment.
jerryd
The fuel burn rate is so great he'll only have a couple minutes flight time, much less than an EV version which can get 15-20 minutes now.
Chase
@Steven Clarkson
I disagree. That aircraft is using some of the most advanced Li-Ion batteries available and can only manage 20 minutes, then requires an hour or more to recharge whereas this only takes as long as you need to top up the tank. This can also carry 400lbs while the Airspeeder can't even carry me at 220lbs before safety gear.

No, the density is not quite there yet. It's certainly on its way but it has not arrived yet.
ljaques
OK, who wants a ride in one? I'm sure the line would circle the Earth a few times. LOL
Loz, I completed this for you: "a Segway of the skies for the rest of us, for whom no quantity of brown undies/pinched buttonholes would ever suffice. "
Steven Clarkson
@Chase 20 min is enough for a race to begin the revolution with. Charging does definately not need to take a day, it could charge in 20 to 40 minutes, have an extra battery pack and you could simply swap it out l8ke tyres on an F1 car near instantly.

It can lift enough weight to carry a human for 20 minutes a lightweight horse jockey would do just fine ;)

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