Inventor’s cross-Channel air scooter flight halted midway due to technical glitch
The daring English Channel crossing ended in a splash near the iconic cliffs of Dover
An ambitious attempt to fly a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air scooter from France to England was cut short on Friday after a technical malfunction forced an emergency water landing near the cliffs of Dover.
French inventor Franky Zapata, who piloted the single-seat aircraft, had launched successfully from the French coast with hopes of showcasing the viability of his latest flying machine.
The flight was intended to serve as a proof of concept for the futuristic vehicle’s long-range capabilities.
However, partway through the journey, Zapata encountered a technical issue that left him with no choice but to land safely on the water.
Despite the setback, the successful take-off and controlled landing mark another milestone in Zapata’s ongoing development of personal aerial mobility technology.
