This week I was reminded that my topics of choice have trended heavily toward politics in recent weeks. While I do understand that’s not for everyone, one of my friends and mentors advised me decades ago, that virtually every experience in life, after leaving the birth canal, until we are entombed, and everything in between, is touched by politics. When we are born, we get a Birth Certificate, when we die, we are assigned a Death Certificate. When we drive a vehicle, we’re required to secure a Driver’s License. When we purchase a home, we get a Mortgage, and eventually a Deed. Renovate that home, and a Permit is required. In an America, increasingly leaning towards the standards of the Wild, Wild, West, almost everything, with notable exception of acquiring a gun, in some places, requires a record, a seal, a permit, a certificate, or a license of some sort. And no, before you ask, this post is not about expanding/reforming gun laws, though for the record, I think that’s a good idea.
I thought I’d pen something light. With all the hubbub of the emergence of the Electric Vehicle (EV) Market, which for app practical purposes, is dominated b Tesla, I saw something recently that reminded me that when I was a kid, the really forward-thinkers presaged that we would one day travel via the benefit of flying cars. Even recently, the prospect of that decades old dream has seemed, at the very least, far-fetched.
But then…
Then, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it has certified for testing a vehicle that California startup, Alef, describes as a flying car – the first fully electric vehicle that can both fly and travel on roads – to receive US government approval.
Alef Automotive, which dubbed the vehicle/aircraft the “Model A,” said it is the first flying vehicle that is both drivable on public roads, and able to park like a normal car. The “Model A” also has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. The current design allows for one or two occupants, with a road range of 200 miles, and a flying range of 110 miles. Now before you plan to just run out and get one, with the first delivery projected to be by the end of 2025, do recognize, this scientific and engineering marvel is expected to be priced at around $300,000 per vehicle.
The company’s current FAA certification provides for a special airworthiness certificate for limited purposes, which permits exhibition, research, and development. The vehicle is categorized as an all-electric VTOL, which stands for Vehicle Takeoff and Landing Aircraft. Numerous companies are working on similar concepts. The FAA indicated Alef is “not the first aircraft “of its kind” to get a special airworthiness certificate. However, Alef noted that its vehicle is different because of its ability to function both on roads, and in the air, to appear like a normal car, and to park in a normal parking space.
The vehicle will be certified as a “low speed vehicle,” which means it won’t be able to go faster than 25 miles per hour on a paved road. According to Alef, it is assumed that, if a driver needs a faster route, the driver will use the vehicle’s flight capabilities. Of course, it should be added, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration approval will also be required to operate on roads.
The “Model A” has been under development since 2015. Four friends, Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin, Oleg Petrov, and Dukhovny, inspired by the “Back To The Future” movies (which foresaw flying cars being available by hat year), decided to form a company to develop them.
The company said an initial automated test flight of a skeleton version of the vehicle was conducted successfully in 2018, with a full-size prototype flown the following year. But they needed FAA special airworthiness certification to continue research and development.
Alef has taken refundable pre-orders for more than 400 vehicles, at a cost of $150 to be in the general queue, or $1,500 for the priority queue. They are running about a decade behind, but, if you fancy yourself as the next Dr. Emmett Brown, or Marty McFly, dial up Alef, and get yourself in one of those queues. “Back To The Future: Better Late Than Never!”
I’m done; holla back!
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A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/03/tech/flying-car-faa/index.html
http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/2023/07/back-to-future-better-late-than-never.html
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