Flyboard or Jetlev?
Zapata Flyboard or the Jetlev-Flyer ?
As the time flies by the designers have not been asleep! The revolutionary pieces have been developed every day and every hour.
In this article we are about to compare the 2 latest adventurous sport devices that allow you to fly above the water. Who would have not dreamed about flying?Well,here you are ,this is your chance to pick the right help for you to learn to fly!
As the Jetlev-Flyer was introduces already in 2009 we will look at this one first. This water powered jetpack was developed by the company JetPack international.The company was then renamed to Jetlev Technologies and teamed with the German company MS Watersports GmbH to bring their invention to the market.
Jetlev-flyer is a fully independent system that consists of 2 parts the operating unit and a small boat unit. They have shifted the propulsion engine, fuel tank and the rest into a small autonomous boat kind of machine that is tethered to the jetpack and follows the operator around.
The operating unit allows the pilot to maneuver himself on the level of up to 8,5m above the water while being empowered by the little boat with the four stroke 250 hp engine.
Jetlev can fly a pilot of 150 lb (68 kg) and take him off at the speed of up to 22 mph (35 km/h).It is built to carry pilots from 4.9 to 6.5 ft (1.5 – 2 m) in height and 88 to 330 lb (40 – 150 kg) of weight. The overall a fuel capacity of the device is 26 US gal (100 liters).This allows a pilot to be up in the air on a full throttle for an average of 1 hour. When on cruising speed the time can be extended to about 2 to 3 hours.
As Jetlev has been designed for the holiday resorts (for rental purposes) it also carries a crispy price tag of US$99,500 for the latest model R2000.
In the beginning of 2011 a French Jet Ski champion Frankie Zapata probably has no idea what he has gotten himself into. The man had just put together an absolutely crazy super cool leisure sports product called Zapata Flyboard.
The first and biggest difference of this device is that it is empowered by the regular Jet Ski. This way, it can be used as a fun addition to those who already own a jet.
In comparison to Jetlev-flyer you can transport the device much easier and get the same or similar experience. The speed and fuel consumption in this case of course depend a lot on the type of Jet ski you are using, but as demonstrated in Zapata’s video (at the time of writing this article the video has over 2 million views on YouTube!!) the maneuverability looks significantly better than with Jetlev- flyer.
Zapata has made its device incredibly simple, light and efficient. It attaches to the most available on the market jet skis. The device tube attaches to the jets main exit that is routed up to the side of the jet. From that tube, the 9m long, thick tube comes out and connects to the Flyboard boots. The power, speed and stability are regulated by the hand controls that come out of the jet boot board.
Another undoubtedly important fact for this device is the price:
The basic device sells for 4900EUR (6570USD)- this will buy you the model operated by the diver of the Jet Ski.
If you want to have a 1 man operated unit, there is an option available for an extra 900EUR (1200USD).With that you will get a trigger throttle built into the hand unit.
Of course you would also need a Jet ski to operate the Zapata Flyboard, so in case you do not have a jet yet, you would need to add an additional 10,000-13,000 USD for a brand new one, but of course plenty of second hand jets are also available on the market. Still the price comes down to way under 20,000 USD with all included! And you still get the option to Jet Ski for free, when tired of flying!
