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Post by DrSchadenfreude on Dec 7, 2022 11:46:05 GMT -5
The "flying taxis" of the future are lifting off
 www.axios.com/2022/12/07/joby-archer-flying-taxis-evtolDecember 7, 2022
Some odd-looking aircraft are flying circles above strawberry and lettuce fields in rural California, as the next era in aviation draws closer.
Why it matters: Powered by electric batteries and designed to take off like a helicopter but fly like a plane, these newfangled aircraft — now undergoing testing — could soon be certified to whisk you to the airport or elsewhere.
They're called electric air taxis, or electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) — essentially cleaner, quieter helicopters.
The big question: Whether anyone other than rich executives and thrill-seeking tourists will ever fly in them — and that depends on ticket costs.
eVTOLs are expected to be cheaper to maintain than traditional helicopters because their electric motors have fewer moving parts.
Most eVTOL companies are targeting fares about equal to an Uber Black trip, which could make them a (relatively) affordable option.
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Post by DrSchadenfreude on Jan 5, 2023 12:21:37 GMT -5
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THE BIGGEST DOUCHE OF THE FULL SEASON TOURNAMENT - 2021
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Post by daleko on Jan 5, 2023 17:05:49 GMT -5
To be honest, I'm not sure I want to ride in anything Chrysler provided engineering expertise to.
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Post by dilligaf on Jul 5, 2023 0:02:57 GMT -5
To be honest, I'm not sure I want to ride in anything Chrysler provided engineering expertise to.
Bob Cummings had an Aerocar built in 1960, and actually flew it around, since he was a licensed pilot. 6 of the Aerocars were built in total, I believe.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerocar
These new vehicles will most likely be flown in cities. Cities have major airports, sometimes 2 or 3, near them. I don't care if you are a Jumbo Jet or a Piper Cub, you just can't wander willynilly into an airport's airspace without permission from ATC controllers. In order to enter, you need clearance authorization from Approach Control while still 30 miles out or better, depending on the speed of your plane. Buy a current Terminal Area Chart for your local airport and the altitude restrictions are clearly marked on it.
You will then be given permission to fly a specific route to a specific runway at a specific altitude and specific airspeed. No Mavericks allowed. Once within about 10 miles, you are handed off to the Tower controller, who tells you to plan to wait to land by circling, or maybe you are cleared to land on Runway 22R --- no delay. That means you get your airplane on THAT runway, as fast as you safely can, then get it OFF the runway as fast as you can.
But guess what? If I have a Cessna 152 coming in on short final at 200 feet and 70MPH, and there is a 777 full of passengers bearing down on him at 7000 ft and 180 MPH, the CESSNA has priority and the 777 must fly the missed approach.
No matter WHAT I fly, if I declare MAYDAY and declare an emergency the air and any airport in the area belongs to me, and ME only. That includes a military base. When you are in the air, and you are in bad trouble, EVERYONE becomes your friend and cheerleader.
So now we come back to our civilian flying cars nightmare. People can't obey traffic laws on the ground. In the air, you have to see every other vehicle in a 360 degree bubble surrounding you. You can't change altitudes simply because you want to. You can't speed up because you want to. You can't make a sudden turn because you want to go fly over Aunt Greta's house. If another flying marvel passes close in front of you, you have no brakes to lock and skid so you won't T-bone him, Instead we end up with two piles of plastic and aluminum rubble with several bloody and deceased humans mixed in, in various stages of mutilation.
In the 60's Bob Cummings had an AvComm and he could talk to other real airplane pilots, ATC, and all the rest. I'm not sure if he had takeoff and landing restrictions, but at least in effect his Aerocar was a real, certified AIRPLANE.
All this is for TRAINED, PROFESSIONAL PILOTS.
No civilian lawyer, banker, butcher, barber, car mechanic, wall street trader, or anyone else who works in a city should be allowed to operate one of these things, and neither should any "Uber" type chauffeur.
They should be restricted to open air flying, such as rounding up cattle, inspecting pipe- and power-lines, flying fire watch, and possibly SAR, but they would most likely be the ones needing the rescue.
Only rich people will be able to afford them, and the funeral homes who cater to the rich and famous will see an increase in their workloads. I would be REALLY impressed if they could make one that could carry two grownups at 100 feet and 20 miles an hour for 30 minutes. And if they managed not to crash, it will take them 24 hours to recharge for the next once a day 30 minute flight.
Stick to your taxis and buses in the city, and buy a REAL airplane to fly out in the open air, away from those big airports Most of the airports in the nation do NOT have control towers ---- no one to tell you where to land or take off ---- and yet they are perfectly safe.
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