When Simon Desira saw the official Flyboard video in a post on Facebook in October 2012, it took him only two days to purchase the device, and the following week, he was in Israel for a technical course.
By the end of his stay, he was a certified instructor, returning to Malta with the island’s first Flyboard – and ready to take off.
Such is the allure of the unique water sport, which allows enthusiasts to fly like a bird and swim like a dolphin almost in the same breath.
The Flyboard system works by propelling the thrust from a jet ski through a long hose. Users get airborne by controlling the propulsion through nozzles at the hands and feet.
The superhero-like activity has been attracting attention along Malta’s shores, and less than a year later, the feedback has been “very good”.
“As it is summer, more people go to the beach via land and by boat, so seeing the Flyboard live has increased its popularity,” Mr Desira maintains.
Less than a year later, his Flyboarding School in St Julian’s has started operating and bookings are already coming in.
Flyboards are rented with a qualified instructor, so only one is being used for the moment.
But a second instructor – Mr Desira’s wife, who is also passionate about the sport – will be certified in the coming days.
“To become an instructor, you must have total knowledge of how the user controls the board, learn the technique of teaching in different ways, and, most importantly, have 20 hours of logged use of the Flyboard.”
It may seem complicated, but any one between the age of 18 and 65 can try it and no other sport experience is required, Mr Desira maintains, adding “we have had the pleasure of teaching all sorts”.
“If the users follow our instructions, which are given both on land and during use through our specialised communication Headzone helmets, we can guarantee they will be flying in less than five minutes!
“As a beginner, there are absolutely no dangers. At all times, the user is 10 to 15 metres away from the jet ski and only one to two metres above the water. The instructor, who is constantly watching the user, will decrease the throttle of the jet ski and put the user in the water if he gets closer than 10 metres. While in the air, all falls are safe.
“Flyboarding is just like any other type of sport – very safe until you decide to use it to the extreme. Then it gets dangerous.”
Apart from its obvious use, being such a visual spectacle, the Flyboard can also be used for shows and in pools and is being rented out for events, including the official opening ceremony of the Giochi del Mare in Reggio Calabria and a lido opening too.
The sport is being offered in St Julian’s, but the intention is to move to other bays and lidos throughout the summer.
As long as the winds do not exceed 60km/h, wave height is less than a metre and the depth is four metres, the Flyboard can be used by anyone – even at night!
According to Mr Desira, that is “just awesome! People start gathering and you start seeing cameras flashing. It is a feeling you cannot explain”.