Take a close look at this. It reminds me of the Mcculloch Autogyro put together
back in the sixties as it uses the exact same configuration as also the Ayro
Gyro of the same time. A push prop to
drive velocity and an inexpensive rotor to act as the lifting device without
attempting to actually power it which swiftly drives up costs. The Avro did a neat trick of first speeding
up the rotor to near lift speed so that once it switched over to forward motion
it readily jumped into flight in less that fifty feet on its ground effect
cushion. A little extra weight and a
belt drive, but worth it.
The other thing that can be done
today is to have an autopilot in place that is able to handle the switchover to
autopilot when the power inevitably fails.
It is too much to expect a pilot to remain up to training skill with a
skill only to be used in an emergency.
It is better to default into autogiro mode when needed.
Those two fixes can make this a
great aircraft that can be flown out of a back yard and landed in a parking
lot.
This bird may finally realize the
promise of the autogyro for safe inexpensive flight. Since it is basically meant to mostly fly over
a developed and settled landscape, it is able to land on any appropriate flat
space including any roadway. That is
what makes flying this craft so safe. An
escape is at hand and likely safer than an icy road.
PAL-V flying car makes successful first test flight
By Darren
Quick
17:22 April 2, 2012
The PAL-V takes to the air on a successful test flight (Photo: PAL-V)
With the PAL-V last
appearing on our pages way back in 2004, you’d be forgiven for thinking that
this is just another flying car concept that never made it off the ground.
But Dutch company PAL-V Europe NV has been busy in the past seven years having
finalized the design concept in 2008 and testing a driving prototype in 2009.
Now the flying-driving prototype has been put through its paces with video of
the PAL-V’s recent successful maiden flight now released.
Although the finished vehicle looks slightly different to the computer
renderings available in 2004, the design remains pretty much the same. On the
ground the two-seater PAL-V is an aerodynamic tilting three-wheeler that is
designed to combine the handling of a motorbike with a mechanical-hydraulic
dynamic tilting mechanism automatically adjusting the tilt angle of the vehicle
while cornering.
It is powered by a 160 kW flight certified gasoline engine – although
there will also be biodiesel and bio-ethanol versions - that can accelerate the
vehicle from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in under eight seconds, on the way to a top
speed of 180 km/h (112 mph). In ground mode the vehicle boasts estimated fuel
economy figures of 12 km/l (28 mpg US
To convert from automobile to airplane, the vehicle’s engine must be
brought to a stop – no Transformer-like transition on the go unfortunately. The
tail is then extended and the rotor unfolded in a process that takes less than
10 minutes. Upon starting the engine the foldable push propeller emerges from
the rear of the cabin to provide the forward thrust. To go from aircraft to
automobile, the process is simply reversed.
The PAL-V requires a strip (either pavement or grass) of at least 165 m
(540 ft) to get airborne and just 30 m (100 ft) to land. Once in the air it can
reach a maximum speed of 97 kts (180 km/h/112 mph), with a minimum speed of 27
kts (50 km/h/31 mph) required for level flight. In flight mode it has an
estimated fuel economy of 36 l/h (9.5 US
Designed to generally operate below 1,200 m (4,000 ft), the PAL-V flies
within the airspace reserved for uncontrolled Visual Flight Rules (VFR)
traffic, meaning it can take off in many countries without filing a flight
plan. The company points out that governments in the U.S.
and Europe are examining the development of
“digital freeways” that use GPS technology to provide a safe corridor for such
vehicles.
Flying like a standard gyrocopter, the PAL-V’s main rotor has a slower
rotation than a helicopter, making it quieter and giving it the ability to take
off and land at lower speeds. The company says it is also easier to control and
cannot stall and, even if the engine fails, it can be steered and landed safely
as the rotor keeps auto rotating.
Measuring 4(L) x 1.6(W) x 1.6(H) m (13.1 x 5.2 x 5.2 ft), the PAL-V
weighs 680 kg (1,499 lb) and can carry a maximum load of 230 kg (507 lb) for a
maximum gross weight of 910 kg (2,006 lb). The company says the PAL-V complies
with existing regulations in all major markets making it legal for both road
and air use. Obtaining a license requires only 20 to 30 hours of training.
Having conducted successful test flights, the PAL-V team will now focus
on the design of the first commercial model PAL-V, with first deliveries
expected in 2014. PAL-V Europe says law enforcement agencies, the military, and
flying doctors have already expressed interest in the vehicle.
Here’s video of the PAL-V’s maiden flight.
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