Alef Aeronautics’ ‘Model A’ has a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles. The company plans to start delivering cars by late 2025.
Alef Aeronautics’ ‘Model A’ has a driving range of 200 miles and a flight range of 110 miles. The company plans to start delivering cars by late 2025.
Will you also need a pilots license to purchase? I wonder where you would even be allowed to transition from driving to flying…
If you drive too far forward in a parking space and grind on the parking block, or someone dings your door, do you need an A&P to repair it?
Driving down the highway, hit a traffic jam. Don’t even slow down just go airborne over the jam.
@Lantech
@Ragnell @ExpensiveConstant
Aside from the $300k price tag, sadly….
People’s driving senses are so fucking bad, I can’t imagine them flying. It’ll be in the news often I guess “car crashes into building while trying to back up.” “car flies into power lines thousands without power” well I guess that’s fairly typical already.
What the hell is the point of a car that can’t do more than 25 mph? This thing can fucking fly, but it’s as capable as a golf cart on the ground?
I’ll believe this when it actually exists (the thing they’re promising, not a skeletal prototype), and I’ll believe that the FAA is cool with flying cars when I see them on my commute. None of this currently passes the bullshit check.
I imagine that it’s supposed to be flown and is only temporarily used on the ground. Same way airplanes don’t have a higher ground speed
Airplanes have a plenty high ground speed. They gotta go pretty dang fast for take off. ;)
Lol ok true, I meant more of a maneuvering at speed. Even then, thinking about it my analogy is terrible :/
K well there are a few key differences between cars and airplanes… If planes could drive around on the road, nobody would buy a car. That’s kinda the whole goddamn point, that’s why people want a car that can fly.
I take issue with a “flying car” that’s not a fucking car. What the hell is the point? If you’re spending $300k, why wouldn’t you actually become a pilot instead of buying some half-baked car that isn’t actually usable as a car?
I think it’s mostly an expensive toy. They made it VTOL so it does not have to go fast enough on the ground to become airborne. That’s ok, it doesn’t need a runway to take off, but VTOL is way to make things fly that really have no business flying. Airplanes have a certain shape because they have to. This thing looks like a bar of soap in comparison. I’m sure it uses a ton of energy to stay airborne, it would have the glide coefficient of a rock.
This is a ridiculous comment. Are you intentionally missing the point? Why are you applying airplane design principles to a car? It’s not a plane…it’s a car.
Glide coefficient? In what scenario do you imagine this car gliding? Do you see wings? They didn’t “make it VTOL” because they couldn’t design a functional airplane, they designed it as a VTOL from day one because a flying car that isn’t VTOL capable wouldn’t be viable. The very concept of a flying car is based on VTOL. It can only work as a car if it’s VTOL. A fixed-wing flying car would be asinine, where the hell do you expect people to take off?
Look I am not a supporter of this thing. It has too many glaring issues, like the fact that it doesn’t currently exist. You cannot, however, criticize this vehicle based on its merits as an airplane, because it’s not an airplane.
You ABSOLUTELY can criticize it as an airplane. It’s a vehicle that flys. And as a VTOL, it doesn’t have much if any of a glide coefficient like deaconblue said. Which is extremely relevant if power goes out and instead of being able to glide to safety, it just falls like a rock on whatever is below. Saying “its a VTOL, so it doesn’t matter” puts you on the same safety standards as that submarine guy.
Your name is well chosen. I think you just wasted a lot of time essentially making the same points I did.
Reading comprehension has always been a struggle for you, I take it. It does not matter how it compares to an airplane, because it is not an airplane. It’s not a boat either, you imbecile, do we need to dissect that one as well?
What about insurance flying low over populated regions? Air traffic control? I don’t think the physical flying capability is the problem with flying cars
It’ll probably use VFR rules, like a helicopter. I’m thinking the target is rich guys who eventually get pilot licenses.
yes. flying cars have existed already. basically they’re treated like planes.