This crazy turbojet-powered VTOL looks like a flying supercar bucket seat
Published on Aug 26, 2022 at 12:15 PM (UTC+4)
by Patrick Jackson
Last updated on Aug 26, 2022 at 12:15 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Feast your eyes on one of the most insane VTOL concepts yet – the Zapata JetRacer by Franky Zapata.
This thing isn’t just a drawing like most concepts, the company behind it already has working prototypes.
The JetRacer is essentially a supercar bucket seat with 10 tiny turbojet engines strapped to it.
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It’s the brainchild of Franky Zapata, a French personal watercraft pilot.
He’s a bit of a daredevil, having crossed the English Channel on his jet-powered ‘FlyBoard’ hoverboard in just 22 minutes, so this is actually quite mild compared to some of his other inventions.
And that’s saying something.
Franky Zapata’s now calling on other daredevils to test his contraption.
The company is taking applications for test pilots on its website.
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There will be 100 applicants drawn from the entries to undergo selection testing.
From there, the 25 most suitable testers will be selected from that pool of applicants.
What is the Zapata JetRacer?
Like all VTOLs, the JetRacer can take off and land vertically.
But thanks to its tiny turbojet engines, it lives up to its name with some impressive speed figures.
Zapata is claiming a top speed of 250km/h (155mph), although going that fast comes at the expense of range.
Zapata also says it will be able to reach altitudes of up to 3000m (9840ft).
That is, if you dare to go that high on a flying chair.
At least with 10 engines on board, the company states that two could malfunction without it affecting flight.
There’s also the possibility of making the JetRacer autonomous so it can transport materials without a pilot.
While leisure flights and entertainment are high priority, Zapata said the VTOL was being built for official purposes too.
Zapata is building it for military and civil security purposes like rapid mobility in special operations and reconnaissance or surveillance flights.
It’s unclear just when the JetRacer will hit the market at this stage.
But with prototype development well on the way and proven jet-powered VTOLs to Zapata’s name, it could be here sooner than you expect.
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A car zealot from a young age, Patrick has put his childhood spent obsessing over motoring magazines and TV shows to good use over the past six years as a journalist. Fuelled by premium octane coffee, he’s contributed to Finder, DriveTribe, WhichCar, Vehicle History and Drive Section.
