Moment 'air scooter' bids to fly across English Channel - and fails

This is the moment an "air scooter" crashed into the water during a failed bid to cross the English Channel.

A French start-up tried to make history on Friday by crossing the Channel using vertical take-off and landing craft. Franky Zapata, 46, hopped in his AirScooter in Sangatte, near Calais, in a bid to complete the 21-mile journey across the Channel toward Kent.

He zoomed across the water but decided to turn back after 17 minutes. Just nine minutes later, the craft slowly nosedived into the sea as observers watched on from a nearby boat.

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The AirScooter team said an "electric parachute" had slowed the descent and prevented a freefall. Team members are now looking to recover the air scooter.

Before the flight, Zapata said he was not "100 per cent sure" the craft would reach Dover, in Kent. He added: "We’ve been rehearsing the flight for months and months.

"It’s relatively good but it’s still new. Sometimes everything goes well and sometimes not so well."

Zapata had hoped a Channel crossing would be a massive opportunity to market the craft to American investors. The US currently has fewer regulations on ultralight aircraft compared to counterparts in Europe, including France and the UK.

But the crash now indicates Zapata will need to examine the product to iron out any possible flaws with its design. The Timesreported Zapata wants wealthy out-of-town homeowners "who want to fly to the neighbours’ for a barbecue on a Sunday."

He latter conceded, "they won't be able to use them over towns." The craft weighs about 115kg (253lbs) and was said to be able to fly about two hours and reach a speed of 62mph.

The aircraft is estimated to cost about £149,000 and Zapata has announced he intends to open a flight centre in Las Vegas in 2028, that will give people the opportunity to try it out.

Zapata crossed the Channel on a hoverboard n 2019, which cemented his reputation. He went on to be asked to fly over the Champ Elysées avenue in Paris for the Bastille Day parade about a year later.