Flying Cars: The Possibilities
While flying cars seem like a far away science fiction dream still, you may be surprised how close we actually are to this possibility. While a Jetsons style flying car is still far, far away, some flying car options are not so far away. Many of these flying cars would use current roadway structures like an automobile, but also be capable of flight. The eventual goal is, of course, the sci-fi style of future flying cars, offering super fast transit from point a to point b with ease and comfort.
A versatile vehicle, what NASA is classing as a Personal Air Vehicle may eventually offer a new solution to regular place to place travel. Currently, most of these future flying cars are being developed as roadable aircraft, and this is the most likely option as far as luxury flying cars of the future. A roadable aircraft allows the plane to land and then be driven on the road to a final destination.
While NASA’s Personal Air Vehicles will eventually be largely self flying, requiring little more than a standard driver’s license, the future flying cars most of us may actually see will require a pilot’s license. An eventual plan is in place to allow Personal Air Vehicles to take off and land more freely on smaller residential airstrips.
What Will Flying Cars Be Like?
The most likely possibility for flying cars that any of us will see or experience are the sort described at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_car_%28aircraft%29. These flying cars are simple, well designed light aircraft with the ability to be driven on the road from place to place.
They can, like the Terrafugia Transition ®, tuck their wings in at a push of a button and be driven on regular unleaded gasoline, just like a car. More information on these luxury flying cars of the future can be found at
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/10/
transition_flying_car_quite_realistic/. With easy to get pilot’s licensing requirements, this vehicle will be ideal for flights of 100 to 500 miles, particularly landing in more rural areas. It can simply be driven if the weather is poor or for shorter journeys. This is definitely a possibility as far as luxury flying cars of the future, with an expected price tag of $148,000. This roadable aircraft seats two, but has low weight limits, making even space for two a challenge.
The Personal Air Vehicle option is more like the future flying cars many of us have imagined from television and movies. Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_air_vehicle offers more information on this possibility. While research on these vehicles is new, and creating an acceptable infrastructure will be a massive effort, Personal Air Vehicles could reduce traffic congestion, particularly in major metropolitan areas.
Traffic and Flying Cars
How will flying cars navigate traffic? Well, the most likely possibility for future flying cars is the roadable aircraft. These vehicles will manage traffic on the roads just like any other car or truck. They are small enough to park in a driveway or garage, can be driven on the roads, and take off from short airstrips. These future flying cars will not impact road traffic in significant ways. Roadable aircraft are the most likely possibility in terms of integrating future flying cars into the existing roadways and airport structures.
They will, however, pose substantial air traffic issues. The current FAA system would be utterly unable to manage the additional traffic presented by Personal Air Vehicles or commonly used roadable aircraft. A next generation air traffic system is planned for 2025 making this a more feasible option than it has been in the past. Moreover, current pilot licensing may not be relevant with these largely self piloting vehicles. Clearly, both air traffic and laws regarding flight and licensing will both have to change in order to see a world with future flying cars.
Will You See Flying Cars in Your Lifetime?
The answer to this question may surprise you. Yes, you will see future flying cars far sooner than you expect. In fact, the Terrafugia Transition ® will be on the market in 2009, albeit in very limited release. You should expect that for a long time the luxury flying cars of the future will be limited to the very wealthy. We may not see accessible and practical Personal Air Vehicles for many years to come.
Other possibilities that may appear on the market in the relatively near future as far as luxury flying cars of the future include the Moller M400 Skycar, with a price tag of around $1,000,000. A 1200 km range and vertical takeoffs and landings make this a promising option as far as future flying cars.
Some companies are working to develop new ultralight jets for personal use, and research on air taxis with quiet engines and short take offs and landings are in progress as well.
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