Life is a skyway.
Flying cars are no longer the stuff of science fiction. Flying cars still exist because both civilian buyers and the military are hooked on the popular product for the general public.
A new prototype model, known by its technical name eVTOL (Electric Vehicle Takeoff and Landing), is raising expectations for the popular future travel concept.
BlackFly, a state-of-the-art aircraft manufactured by Pivotal, has been delivered to five different owners on the East and West Coasts, as well as the Midwest. In addition, the U.S. Air Force adopted eight of the prototype models.
“When it took off from my front yard, I felt an indescribable awe,” Massachusetts owner Patrick M. recently boasted in a Pivotal release.
Although these models were prototypes, Pivotal is already developing a successor to the BlackFly called Helix, which is available for $190,000.
And what's really special about this nearly 350-pound vessel (a Honda Civic weighs about 3,000 pounds) is that just about anyone can pilot it, thanks to its FAA ultralight rating.
“Operators of ultralight vehicles do not need to meet aviation knowledge, age, or experience requirements to operate those vehicles.” The agency code states:.
In addition to that, BlackFly can levitate from surfaces such as pavement, grass, and dirt. According to Flying Mag. Company demonstrations also showed eVTOLs that do not use landing gear take off and land on the beach.
Tim Lamb, a 61-year-old retiree who lives in rural Washington state, is all for the concept, which could glide at up to 55 knots (equivalent to 103.3 mph on the highway) at relatively low altitudes. is.
“It's amazing and very dramatic.” he told New York Magazine. In the first year of owning the BlackFly, Lamb completed 450 flights over a scenic forest area 40 miles from his home.
“I installed four charging stations in my valley, so I can make five flights before lunch.” he told Robb Report. “And when people from other parts of the region found out I was here, they invited me to fly over their land.”
For the time being, it is likely that eVTOL will be primarily based in scenic vacant lots, rather than in the skies above the Big Apple. The FAA is strict: “Ultralight vehicles may not be operated in crowded areas of cities, towns, or settlements or over outdoor gatherings of people.”
Flights are also restricted to daytime hours only.
As for what the cockpit looks like, you'll be flying with two joysticks, an iPad filled with flight data, and a knob to activate the emergency parachute.
“There's a lot of technology on the back end,” Greg Carr, a software developer at the company, told Robb Report.
“The aircraft is designed to be operated in a simple and intuitive manner, yet it is a layered and sophisticated platform,” he added, adding that it is designed with fail-safes to “mitigate potential failures.” He said that it has been done.
