Cute little guy

[martin-w 3,239]

40 minutes flight time. 120 mph. Removable batteries, so I guess you can swap while the used battery charges.

 

 

[DD_Arthur 1,065]

I can't help thinking....Sinclair C5....

[martin-w 3,239]

Visually, you mean? Hopefully it won't have the same fate

[DD_Arthur 1,065]

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

Visually, you mean? Hopefully it won't have the same fate

Visually and in terms of concept. If the C5 had ever sold in numbers I wonder how many people would have been peeled off our roads after being flattened by their fellow road users.

 

In the same way I wonder if these flying concepts ever get off the ground, (sorry) how many people would find themselves falling out of the sky?  I would imagine the concerns about using these vehicles are essentially similar: "I'm not getting in that thing!"

 

[martin-w 3,239]

46 minutes ago, DD_Arthur said:

In the same way I wonder if these flying concepts ever get off the ground, (sorry) how many people would find themselves falling out of the sky?  I would imagine the concerns about using these vehicles are essentially similar: "I'm not getting in that thing!"

 

There's a multitude of them in development, and the eHang is in operation. I don't really buy the concept of us all flying around in them like we drive our cars, but for short range air taxis they have a role. the military are interested too. 

Safety seems pretty good, with lots of redundancy. 

Then there's the fun, recreational type.

 

https://www.jetsonaero.com/

 

 

Edited March 9 by martin-w

[DD_Arthur 1,065]

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

Safety seems pretty good, with lots of redundancy. 

Then there's the fun, recreational type.

That’s just it; until Joe Public gets his hands on these I think we simply don’t know what kind of impact (sorry#2) they’ll have.

They do indeed look like a great deal of fun though.

[Antipodeslonghaul 79]

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

I don't really buy the concept of us all flying around in them like we drive our cars, but for short range air taxis they have a role. 

 

 

I'm also a bit sceptical. Air rage gains a new meaning with harried commuters getting in each others airspace. If they were made as completely autonomous air taxis, and communicated with one another, keeping out of each others way, it'd be fine, but of course much less fun. I think they might become common fairly quickly in some metro areas like Sao Paulo. Well I'm neither in Sao Paulo nor do I have much spare cash to try one, but still I'd certainly be curious to try one.

https://foundandexplained.com/2021/07/07/brazils-helicopter-city/

Reason I mentioned Sao Paulo as a likely market.

[dave2013 1,130]

That's a neat little plane.

Here's the rub: do you really want thousands of people flying these things around willy-nilly?  Well, the good news is that this likely won't happen as the govt. will require anyone flying these to have a private pilot license.

Like some have said, there is a niche market for these as short-range air taxis piloted by licensed and trained pilots.

Dave

[rmeier 473]

My $0.02. I'm struggling to see these options as a commercially viable air taxi given the range/payload and a likely very high insurance premium.

[birdguy 3,943]

1 hour ago, dave2013 said:

Here's the rub: do you really want thousands of people flying these things around willy-nilly?

Especially during rush hour in Los Angeles.

Noel

[Fielder 3,682]

The robot maid looks unhappy for the George Jetsons.

 

 

 

[109Sqn 1,576]

6 hours ago, dave2013 said:

do you really want thousands of people flying these things around willy-nilly?

I don't live anywhere near Willy-Nilly, so it wouldn't bother me.

[DD_Arthur 1,065]

😆

[dave2013 1,130]

2 hours ago, 109Sqn said:

I don't live anywhere near Willy-Nilly, so it wouldn't bother me.

😛

[martin-w 3,239]

On 3/9/2024 at 2:41 PM, DD_Arthur said:

That’s just it; until Joe Public gets his hands on these I think we simply don’t know what kind of impact (sorry#2) they’ll have.

They do indeed look like a great deal of fun though.

 

I think the FAA and CAA or whatever body regulates the particular country they are in, will put in place the necessary regulations. 

 

On 3/9/2024 at 4:12 PM, rmeier said:

My $0.02. I'm struggling to see these options as a commercially viable air taxi given the range/payload and a likely very high insurance premium.

 

The eHang is already in operation so I understand. And then we have Joby who have acquired a factory in Ohio and have began hiring to support initial manufacturing. So there seems to be lost of optimism regarding the viability. 

Archer say their vehicle will initially be $4 per passenger mile and they hope to get it as low as $1 per passenger mile. Helicopters are generally ten times higher per passenger mile. 

Embraer's EVTOL can fly 150 miles, and United Airlines have ordered 200, with an option for a further 200. They have also put a deposit down for 100 Archer Aviation eVTOL's.

 https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-embraer-eve-electric-aircraft-united-ordered-2022-9#the-deal-also-includes-options-for-another-200-eve-aircraft-and-comes-a-month-after-the-airline-paid-a-10-million-pre-delivery-deposit-for-100-evtols-being-developed-by-archer-aviation-united-in-partnership-with-mesa-airlines-has-200-on-order-3