Franky Zapata - Iron Man - Superhuman 72

You won’t believe it. We will fly the clouds - Franky Zapata.

He is known as the Human Torpedo, the Human Dolphin and as a real life Iron Man.

His recently accomplished feats, on some of the most futuristic pieces of tech the world has ever seen, show that the sky is no longer the limit.

Image: Flickr

Man and machine have become one.

Early History

Franky Zapata was born on September 27, 1978, in Marseille. The innovative-minded youth quickly developed a liking for water sports and he began participating in professional jet skiing competitions at the tender age of 16.
The French national has won many accolades in his career as a professional jet skier. He is the CEO of the popular Flyboard Company Zapata Racing.

In 2011 he launched the Flyboard, the world’s first water-propelled hoverboard, which propelled its users up in the air using a strong stream of water.

This was followed up in 2014 by the even more amazing Hoverboard, a land-based scooter-like device.

The original Flyboard was a tremendous success. The futuristic water hoverboard had been made the center of water sports and was commonly seen with celebrities and other water sports enthusiasts.

Zapata was not finished. He had hinted that he was working on something a tad more futuristic that, if it worked, would “put Marty McFly’s version of the hoverboard to shame.”

What is his Superpower?

In April 2016, a video of what appeared to be a man flying on a hoverboard surfaced on the internet. Amidst speculation that the video was a hoax since the flying hoverboard “defied all the laws of physics”, Zapata’s words from 2014 were brought into reality.

Franky Zapata later confirmed that indeed it had been him flying a prototype of what he called the Flyboard Air.

Unlike the previously released water-based Flyboard version, this one appeared to have no tethering at all. It rose unassisted to a height of roughly 165 feet on its first launch.

Zapata spoke at length about the Flyboard Air and confirmed that it had been indeed what he had been working on all this time. He explained all the intricate workings of the hoverboard, including how he intended to break Alexandru Duru’s world record for longest jet-propelled flight, which had previously stood at 275.9 meters.

Amazingly, Zapata shattered that record by traveling 2,252 meters (7,388ft) or roughly 2 miles on the Flyboard Air. The hoverboard superhero recorded it all in another video that went viral and put the critics’ claims that the hoverboard was fake to rest.

He is the Guinness World Record holder for longest flight on a jet-propelled hoverboard.

How did he earn the name, The Human Torpedo?

The nickname came after a mild crash that was the result of a miscalculation on how the wind would affect the Flyboard Air’s power consumption. Apparently, the strong winds had resulted in more fuel being used, leaving him in a slightly dangerous situation when the Flyboard lost power just before landing and started spinning him around like a torpedo.

He crashed into the water but thankfully, the only casualties were the electronics on the board, which he admitted cost a significant amount to fix.

Human Dolphin - Stan Lees Superhumans

When appearing on Stan Lee’s Superhumans Frank showed that he was capable of outperforming dolphins.

What can we learn from Franky Zapata?

“When you want to create something, go ahead and create it”: this was Franky’s response when prompted to reveal what made him decide to create the Flyboard Air. The clear message that we can get from his surprisingly motivating words is that the only way to realize your dreams is by working to make them a reality.

Four long years of hard work had resulted in the birth of the Flyboard Air, something that tech companies are now eagerly waiting in line to get a piece of, according to Franky. His whole demeanor towards undertaking new challenges and obstacles was very inspiring, the mark of a true hero of our generation.

What is Franky Zapata Currently Working On?

Franky divulged in an earlier interview that the development Flyboard Air was heading in a certain direction, specifically design-wise.

He has hinted that the next release will have a seat and a significant number of upgrades from the prototype, including stability and ease of control.

This real life Iron Man continues to amaze the world.

More links and videos

Flyboard Air by ZR Naples Florida

Zapata Racing Website

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