Zapata Flyboard
HISTORY
Franky Zapata is a French professional pilot of Jet Ski who created the Flyboard.
He started practicing Jet Ski at the age of 16, and he has won the world champion title.
Before finalizing his famous product in spring 2011, he had made several prototypes in order to find
the most consistent version.
FUNCTION
The Flyboard is a kind of jetpack which is connected to a jetski. Water is forced under pressure to a pair of boots with jet nozzles underneath which provide thrust for the rider to fly up to 15m.
It was made for everyone, in order to whether have fun with people or to practice our skills.
COMPONENTS
The design allows the device to climb out of the water and be stable in the air.
A FlyBoard is composed of several parts.
At the top of the device, there is the base called the "Flyboard deck" or the "footplate". It is static on the Sport model, whereas it can pivot on its axis by up to 20 degrees on the Pro model. The footplate is made of PVC. There are two slots on which you have to tuck your feet in.
The deck is supported by a huge pump, which is connected to the Personal Water Craft.
When switched on, the PWC provides under-pressure water. While the water flows down the pump, another person is able to control the rider's direction and movements. At each edge of the deck we find two throttles made of Plexiglas which are made in order to let the water flow.
40 feet approximatively equals to 12.20m.
CHARACTERISTICS
The FlyBoard features several items which make it unique.
The diameter, orientation and angle of the nozzles can be adjusted to optimize the use and compatibility with the PWC power.
Moreover, the turbine interface is equipped with a Venturi effect system, that expels water from the PWC hull while using the Flyboard.
The Venturi effect is the reduction in fluid pressure that results when a fluid flows through a constricted section (or choke) of a pipe.