Just what we need: more crowded sky’s.
I wonder where it can land and take off? How long a “runway” does it need? Could it be a commuter plane? Land in the office parking lot?
I want one!
Me too.
Be interesting to see what kind of fuel and ‘gas mileage’ it gets.
If not commuter, it would be neat to be able to go to your local Rent-A-Vehicle location and rent one for a vacation or to go to out-of-town meetings or seminars.
I wonder if my GEICO auto insurance would cover the rental liability.
Well, first thing for me would be to get that pilot’s license…and since I’ve wanted to learn for many years, this would be a wonderful incentive!
Everything old is new again.
After World War II my grandfather took flying lessons. He, and a lot of other people, thought they would get around by personal airplanes by the 1960’s.
I had a childhood friend who got his pilot’s license before he got his driver’s license! I think at the time one could get their pilot’s license at 15 but had to be 16 to get a driver’s license.
Got as far as soloing back around '90. Then the school bond issues didn’t pass, firm work dried up, and with it my flying career. But it was a gas. Wrong profession to support this habit; a few do, and have a great time flying to project meetings!
Don’t worry about crowded skies, Ellis. With the average driver’s lack of attention to both maintenance and driving, these things will be dropping out of the sky like rain. Make that hail - big hail.
Sheldon:
What the hail?!
Check out microjets. Microjets are tiny, personal aircraft that George Jetson would love. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bede_BD-5
I saw one perform recently at the Thomas, OK Municipal Airport annual airshow. What a great little show! Aircraft performed up close to the small, local crowd.
John, sounds like the mortality rate for BD-5 pilots was prohibitive. Great concept, but maybe put on the market a bit prematurely. Still, I’d love to see one in live action.
I didn’t say I wouldn’t want one; I took a semi-serious look at the BD-5 when it came out. I’m sure the reliability could be improved (I didn’t realize how many had crashed) but the issues of maintenance and pilot attention remain. It would be fun, though!
I prefer the very small business jet - then I can take some folks along with me. They’re a bit more pricey ($2 - 2.5 million) and you need a couple pilots, but at least my wife could come with me. http://www.embraerexecutivejets.com/en-US/jets/phenom-100/Pages/overview.aspx
As long as I have to park my plane in my garage, it should be a car as well as a plane: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/05/13/terrafugia_tfx_followup/
back in 2007 I was in LA and the warehouse next to our office was configuring tiny airplanes that had folding wings – so you could actually store them in a single-car garage. their prospective price point was about $150K. They did their roll-out, took off by going down the street (and must have had clearance from LAX to do so) and half the guys in the office wanted to buy one with their next bonus check.
Sadly… the firm was a victim of the economy bust.
Oh, the good old days, when you had the skies to yourself.