Stealthy Personal Flyer Half Airplane, Half Helicopter
In theory it can cruise at 150 miles per hour and sprint at more like 300 miles per hour. Since the craft is electrically propelled it doesn't need air intake, so thinning air is not a limitation, meaning it can reach — again, in theory — 30,000 feet before limitations on battery power force it to descend...
...Aside from the military applications (super-stealthy troop insertions with very low thermal signatures?) the quiet, uncomplicated, low-powered electric lift — just 60 horsepower gets pilot and craft airborne — shows how a world in which everyday folks get around modern cities via personal aircraft may not be as sci-fi as was once thought. _Gizmodo
Al Fin was unable to convince Jack Bauer to give up his priority position in line to test fly the Puffin. But just as soon as he can, he will provide a personal test flight report.
Labels: adventure toys, escape, VTOL Personal Craft, VTOLs
posted by al fin at 9:42 am
5 Comments:
Pilot training is an issue. VTOL aircraft are notoriously unstable and difficult to control. Every VTOL aircraft test program has killed test pilots.
Very true. And yet given proper simulator prep and other necessary ground training, I would leap at the chance to fire one of those Puffins up.
Would you bet me that thousands of other pilots -- many of them professional test pilots -- would drag their feet at the opportunity? Not likely.
kurt9: I am surprised to hear that about VTOL since they have developed unmanned helicopters and such though it would help explaining their limited role so far in aviation. Maybe the problem is the use of a human to control too much of the vehicle. I have heard of different personal flight projects that intend to have no human control so as to not require a pilot license. They might have a series of commands available to the occupant like "abort landing", "go to altitude x" or "retreat to way point 1".
Can I hold off until they have a DPF reactor and mach-lorentz thrusters on them?
"Since the craft is electrically propelled it doesn't need air intake, so thinning air is not a limitation, meaning it can reach — again, in theory — 30,000 feet before limitations on battery power force it to descend...
" Well, not quite. Density altitude affects not just the engine, but also the airfoils. High altitudes require either extra wing and propeller surface--additional weight, the bane of VTOLs--or extra speed, meaning extra power and thus wieght.
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“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act” _George Orwell
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