C3PO in the back of cab

[Hagar]

I spotted this article in the Sun newspaper this morning.
[quote]FLYING Star Wars-style taxis could take commuters to work in five years' time.

And trips in the British-designed Jetpod may cost little more than the fare by road.

Movie robot C3PO would feel at home in the taxis, which will fly at 500-750ft and cruise at 350mph.

The Jetpod - much faster than a small aircraft or helicopter - will whisk passengers 24 miles from Woking, Surrey, to London in four minutes.

And because it can make so many trips, fares can stay low. A trip from Heathrow to Central London would cost up to

[Loafing Smurf]

It probably takes off from Heathrow and land at a smaller airport in London. It probably wont be able to drop you off in front of a specific location (i.e a Hotel). Unless it can hover, and there is a helipad on the building.

Probably better for letting people commute from town to town.

[ozzy72]

Probably still safer than having me hurtling above your head at 350knts at 5 feet Doug

[Hagar]

It probably wont be able to drop you off in front of a specific location (i.e a Hotel). Unless it can hover, and there is a helipad on the building.

Maybe not in front of the hotel but in a convenient spot nearby. Here's an extract from the official press release.

The Jetpod cruises at 300 knots (350 mph) and only requires an incredible 125 metres (410 feet) to take-off or land. This is achieved through a combination of horizontal and vertical thrust management as developed by Avcen. The Jetpod does not require a runway and can operate from grass and roughly prepared dirt strips.

The Jetpod T-100 air taxi and the P-100 personal transpeeder can operate quietly into tiny city-centre landing sites that will be one tenth of the length normally required, thereby opening up cities to true pay-on-demand, free-roaming air taxis.

I find the idea of aerial cab drivers touting for business in "free-roaming air taxis" a frightening thought.

The military UAV version is intended to hover. This might also be useful for rescue & supply in remote areas. http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/release?id=133008

[Loafing Smurf]

But its probably still hard to find places to land in London. You probably have to sacrifice a few shops

[Hagar]

That "free-roaming air taxis" sounds messy. Wouldnt want a swarm of flying taxis flying over a city. There probably needs to be some sort of air traffic controller managing all of them.

I think this might be wishful thinking on their part. Note from the press release they're looking for investors & they obviously have to sell the idea. A private "personal transpeeder" is also proposed. The concept of an aerial car has been a pipe-dream for as long as I can remember. This has never been practical & I can't see the CAA being too impressed with it. The skies over the UK are quite crowded enough already thank you very much.

[Felix/FFDS]

I think the concept would have a better chance as an inter-city commuter bus, where one could take the "express" bus from one's outlying village/town to the city center/business area, so that a commuter can live in Cocoa (FL), on the east coast, and pop into a "bus" to work at Disney.  If costs are low enough, subscriptions could be bought, rather than have this transport for the "high end" traveller.

[Travis]

And they want to put CAB DRIVERS in these things!?  I don't know about over there, but the cabbies over in the US aren't exactly who I would trust to be my pilot!  I can barely trust them to get me home safely from the bars!

[Hagar]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not knocking the idea of this Jetpod. It looks quite nifty but it's still on the drawing board right now. If it's capable of half the performance they claim for it they deserve to succeed. My main objection is to the way it's being promoted. This is the company's first venture in aircraft design & manufacturing & similar ideas have been tried & failed many times before. One example I can think of is Christopher Cockerell's hovercraft. The concept was quite revolutionary but for various reasons it never reached its full potential.

It's quite possible they will find a market for the Jetpod in quite different areas to the ones they propose for it. I don't see it standing much chance in overcrowded cities like London. I like Felix's concept of an inter-city commuter bus & there might well be other uses for it, especially in large countries like the US. It might also have its uses in 3rd world countries & remote areas. I wish Avcen well & will keep an eye on developments.

PS. I also note the claim for considerable reduction in engine noise. In my experience, any aircraft with a vertical thrust capability is invariably incredibly noisy. This reminds me a lot of the Fairey Rotodyne concept back in the 1960s.

[JBaymore]

Hummmmmmmm..........................

I could just get a 410 foot level strip onto my property without too much trouble.

[Felix/FFDS]

The concept of an ultra-short take off and landing aircraft is proven.  I've seen photos of tests done in the late thirties with a twin engine airplane (non-wing vectoring or anything) that because of its configuration could take off, rotate in its own "area" and land safely, under full control.  (will have to dig out the references)

The question remains if it can be done with controlled (and quiet) jet power and faster than driving speeds.

[Hagar]

The Miles Messenger has a remarkable ultra-short landing & take-off capablility. George Miles proved this in 1943 (I think) by flying to an important meeting & landing in the adjacent car park. He got a small order for the aircraft as a result. Rumour has it that Sir William Mount, owner of the land which is now Brimpton Airfield and a director of Miles Aircraft at Woodley, used to commute the 15 miles to work every day in his Miles Messenger.

[JBaymore]

The big problem with this idea will be it's all weather capabilities.  On an "ideal" flying day........ no problem.  But when the wind comes up or the areas gets socked in....... it's back to driving.

Hummmmmmm.... 400 foot long ILS runways?  


best,

.................john

[Felix/FFDS]

[quote]The big problem with this idea will be it's all weather capabilities.