Are you a big fan of flying, yet cannot afford the rapidly increasing airline tickets? Are the long daunting queues and security checks stopping you from flying as frequently as you would want?
Well, A Dutch company may have the answers for your prayers. A new car that can be driven on land or flown in the air has been launched yesterday. While we are not sure if this car will be able to travel from country to another, it still looks pretty promising. Let us take a closer look.
The PAL-V is a three-wheel gas-powered vehicle, but the company plans to create a biodiesel version of the vehicle as well. While traveling on the ground, the PAL-V can reach a speed of 110 miles per hour. The air speed matches the 110 mile per hour range and is driven by a rear propeller, performing as a gyrocopter, which is stabilized by an unpowered top rotor.
The company has concluded 10 successful test flights and it is now looking for investors to take the PAL-V through the final development stage.
Let’s talk a bit about its features:
Road Performance:
Top Speed: 180 km/h
Zero-to-100km: 8 seconds
Est. fuel economy:12 km/l
Range: 1200 km (750 miles)
Flight Performance:
Maximum speed: 97 knots
Minumum speed for level flight: 27 knots
Take off roll: 165 m
Landing roll: 30 m
Range: 350-500 km ( depending on Pal-V type )
Now Let us be more serious and talk about how beneficial would it actually be to implement this idea for the long run:
From an economic standpoint; for there to be sufficient market, they would have to be used to a great extent in an urban environment. That really limits the design parameters and leads to a helicopter with wheels, steering wheel and limited carrying capacity (which is true, the PAL-V’s carrying capacity is limited to 2 people, and once you’ve seen the video, you might mistake it for a funny looking helicopter).
In an urban environment, the need for strict traffic control of the “air/cars” would be necessary. If you didn’t do this there would be mid air crashes on a very regular basis and really bad results. How would you like to have cars falling out of the sky on an almost hourly basis?
The one that is really scary is the flying while drunk case. Drunk drivers are bad enough but how would you like them flying over your house? Well, PAL-V answers this question by stating that it, as a gyroscopic vehicle, will fly at under 4,000ft. That means you’ll be able to pilot it with all the other Visual Flight Rules (VFR) traffic.
Yet another important question is raised here ; how will you be deemed adequate to drive and fly? We believe rigorous tests ought to be passed, for car accidents are already dangerous and hazardous enough, add flying to the equation my oh my what might happen.
Well,Flying cars might be a controversial issue; they come with a bucket full of disadvantages yet we cannot neglect its benefits.If you live in a remote location, where there are no roads available and you so happen to be a doctor, lives might be saved with this incredible new technology. We just hope it is not misused in this crazy world of ours.
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