The day seems not to be far away when people will be driving flying cars. We have been continuously tormented with the hallucination of in-the-air roadways for more than five decades. Super Sky Cycle, Moller’s M200G Volantor, and Urban Aeronautics’ X-Hawk have already gone into production and now, the latest entrant to the list is PAL-V (Personnel Air Vehicle) from Dutch inventor John Bakker. Actually, it’s a flying gyrocopter tricycle titled PAL-V. What’s even more distinctive in this full-fledged flying and driving vehicle is its ability to tilt on road to avoid congestion. The project has been in development phase for the last six years and recently received financial funding from several private investors. The delivery of the first commercial PAL-V is scheduled by 2011 with a price tag of €100,000 (US $141,726).
On the ground, the aerodynamic 3-wheel vehicle is as comfortable as a luxury car. When it’s time to fly, the blades fold up onto its roof. The PAL-V is claimed to be able to travel up to 1,500m, which falls just under the limit for commercial air space. Touting a top speed of 200km/h on land and in the air, the Pal-V is power-driven by conventional petrol or biodiesel internal combustion engine. At the heart of the PAL-V lies the Dynamic Vehicle Control (DVC™) system which automatically adjusts the tilt angle of the cockpit to the speed and acceleration of the vehicle enabling a plane-like ’tilting before cornering’. In case of any danger, vehicle will fall vertically instead of nose-diving, which supports the vehicle until landing, thanks to a gyroscope positioning system.
Flying cars are coming our way in real. It really looks quite exhilarating. You could be flying over the traffic jams at a swift speed within a few years from now.
via MotorAuthority
Comments
Cool! Flying cars on the roads, rather skies, soon. But with three wheels and blades this one should actually qualify as a chopper that can move on roads. ;-)
Automobile industry has already gone futuristic and why not, a change is a must, those parameters created are meant to be broken, the odds are to be defied, that’s what’s on the cards with the next level of ultimate thrill resting in the laps of the flying cars.
Cool but expensive. Maybe this one can be added to the best gas saver cars and a green one too if ever this one could be called a car still. Very helpful yet a stylish ride.