For anybody interested in FAA certification of all-electric airplanes, see the website of Bye Aerospace of Denver which is working with the FAA for certification of the first all-electric airplane (expected for 4th qtr 2022)
Fwiw I know the CEO for this company and could set up a phone interview if that would be worthwhile to you. The topic of Electric Vehicles is becoming very interesting with the new SPAC phenomenon for the start-up trucks and other vehicle applications.
The technology being developed for "flying cars" is impressive. But reporting about the vehicles and services rarely seems to include discussion of other key issues: (1) How will the the national airspace system (air traffic control, etc.) handle so many aerial vehicles crisscrossing the skies, often in the busiest airspace where urban mobility will be especially popular; (2) How will these aircraft be certified, inspected, and maintained, and by whom? The existing infrastructure for maintaining aircraft isn't designed for such a surge in volume, and the FAA can barely keep up with existing requirements; (3) How will people living beneath skies buzzing with (albeit relatively quiet electric aircraft) react when the technology really takes off? These aircraft will be attractive in large part because they take off and almost anywhere. Today fixed-wing aircraft operate from airports (which generate many complaints about noise and other issues), and aircraft rarely crash onto houses, schoolyards, etc. I wrote about some of these issues in 2007 at my blog, here: https://bruceair.wordpress.com/2007/10/26/the-flying-car/
Bruce, excellent point. (And for anyone other than Bruce: The author of this comment, Bruce Williams, is one of the world's great authorities on these points. He's an accomplished pilot and flight instructor himself, in addition to having played a key role with Microsoft's Flight Simulator.)
During the discussion, the three people I mention with into these topics. But you were prescient in the points you raised. I will spread the word, and I encourage everyone to follow your work.
Thanks, Jim. As I write from Seattle this morning (PST), a warm front is bringing the PNW equivalent of a monsoon. It's IFR/LIFR all around Puget Sound. Although the aircraft you describe include impressive technology to support precise navigation and avoid collisions, I haven't seen much discussion about how/if the vehicles will be able to operate in inclement weather--especially ice and thunderstorms. Will the pilots be instrument rated? Will they have to operate under IFR? Yesterday, I flew an end-of-course check for an IFR student. Seattle Approach Control was very busy managing airline traffic at KSEA and handling all the requests for instrument approaches at the surrounding general-aviation airports. I have yet to see a persuasive discussion about how air-mobility vehicles will fit in, especially in IMC. But I'll watch the videos from the event you hosted.
I find the idea of a lot of "flying cars" flying overhead intensely disturbing. I don't want to see and hear these things flying over my house, my neighborhood. And who are these things going to benefit? The wealthy should have to drive through traffic like the rest of us, so that they know what it's like, rather than being insulated from the conditions to which ordinary Americans are subject to. We already have the greatest GINI quotient among the western industrialized nations, and that's probably one of the things that leads to the magnitude of support for 45.
For anybody interested in FAA certification of all-electric airplanes, see the website of Bye Aerospace of Denver which is working with the FAA for certification of the first all-electric airplane (expected for 4th qtr 2022)
Tom, yes! Next on the "learn about" list for me.
Fwiw I know the CEO for this company and could set up a phone interview if that would be worthwhile to you. The topic of Electric Vehicles is becoming very interesting with the new SPAC phenomenon for the start-up trucks and other vehicle applications.
Tom [aka my brother!] — yes, will follow up off line.
The technology being developed for "flying cars" is impressive. But reporting about the vehicles and services rarely seems to include discussion of other key issues: (1) How will the the national airspace system (air traffic control, etc.) handle so many aerial vehicles crisscrossing the skies, often in the busiest airspace where urban mobility will be especially popular; (2) How will these aircraft be certified, inspected, and maintained, and by whom? The existing infrastructure for maintaining aircraft isn't designed for such a surge in volume, and the FAA can barely keep up with existing requirements; (3) How will people living beneath skies buzzing with (albeit relatively quiet electric aircraft) react when the technology really takes off? These aircraft will be attractive in large part because they take off and almost anywhere. Today fixed-wing aircraft operate from airports (which generate many complaints about noise and other issues), and aircraft rarely crash onto houses, schoolyards, etc. I wrote about some of these issues in 2007 at my blog, here: https://bruceair.wordpress.com/2007/10/26/the-flying-car/
Bruce, excellent point. (And for anyone other than Bruce: The author of this comment, Bruce Williams, is one of the world's great authorities on these points. He's an accomplished pilot and flight instructor himself, in addition to having played a key role with Microsoft's Flight Simulator.)
During the discussion, the three people I mention with into these topics. But you were prescient in the points you raised. I will spread the word, and I encourage everyone to follow your work.
Thanks, Jim. As I write from Seattle this morning (PST), a warm front is bringing the PNW equivalent of a monsoon. It's IFR/LIFR all around Puget Sound. Although the aircraft you describe include impressive technology to support precise navigation and avoid collisions, I haven't seen much discussion about how/if the vehicles will be able to operate in inclement weather--especially ice and thunderstorms. Will the pilots be instrument rated? Will they have to operate under IFR? Yesterday, I flew an end-of-course check for an IFR student. Seattle Approach Control was very busy managing airline traffic at KSEA and handling all the requests for instrument approaches at the surrounding general-aviation airports. I have yet to see a persuasive discussion about how air-mobility vehicles will fit in, especially in IMC. But I'll watch the videos from the event you hosted.
I find the idea of a lot of "flying cars" flying overhead intensely disturbing. I don't want to see and hear these things flying over my house, my neighborhood. And who are these things going to benefit? The wealthy should have to drive through traffic like the rest of us, so that they know what it's like, rather than being insulated from the conditions to which ordinary Americans are subject to. We already have the greatest GINI quotient among the western industrialized nations, and that's probably one of the things that leads to the magnitude of support for 45.