Fly, Drive, Park Updated
(Last summer, ANN published a couple of articles
about flying cars. The idea doesn't seem to have lost
any of its steam. Here's the latest from a British company called
Avcen Limited on its efforts to make drive-fly-park a reality.
--ed.)
The Jetpod operating principle of using a through-wing vertical
thrust component, along with its unique wing-shape, have been
confirmed by City University in London. City have confirmed that
the aircraft can take-off or land in a distance of less than 125
meters (410 feet). Also, that the unique wing shape is well suited
to low-high speed flight. The Jetpod can cruise at 300 kts (350
mph). The Jetpod halves conventional jet noise. The Jetpod passing
overhead at just 300 feet will not be heard over and above normal
street traffic. The Jetpod civil airtaxi and personal jet versions
have been designed to fly fast and quietly into the heart of major
cities. The Jetpod will use very short STOL landing strips that are
one tenth of the size of a conventional runway.
The Jetpod in any case does not require a runway and can land on
grass or dirt strips.
Anhedral has been added to the inboard delta to improve
thrust-line asymmetry and to physically isolate the engines. This
anhedral also compliments the shape of the high cabin ceiling and
affords structural integrity. A dorsal Kevlar wing-spline will also
be added.
Streamlining has been added to the nose along with two forward
pilot doors.
The operating efficiency of the aircraft has impressed the
aerospace design intranet of talent currently working on the
Jetpod. Thus far, the increased performance we have designed into
the Jetpod means that two extra jump seats can be added (if
required). The aircraft can now carry up to seven (7) fare-paying
passengers in a taxi-commuter role, and at the same time, the
installed thrust reduced to 2,400 lbs on each of the two engines,
thereby reducing cost and improving fuel-burn.
The Jetpod has received unprecedented publicity since a first
Press Release was made with PR Web in early November 2004. This had
a knock-on effect when we received a staggering 45 million website
hits in just three days. We also carried out 27 over-the-phone
radio interviews during this period, including the BBC World
Service and with stations all over the world. We have appeared in
over 75 magazines, several newspaper broadsheets and in over 1000
websites. Overall, the Jetpod is a name that is fast becoming
synonymous with inner-city air travel.
Avcen is still
concentrating on getting the Proof of Concept aircraft into the air
as soon as possible, approximately 16 months from now. We have been
approached by many potential buyers and people wanting to invest.
We are not accepting deposits for the aircraft and we are not
accepting investment from small-stake investors. Some potential
larger-stake investors have offered us reasonably large amounts of
capital but we felt that their business interests were not
consistent with ours.
We are still holding out for a "single" investor that may of may
not be associated with aerospace. This single investor might be a
private individual, a consortium, a Government, or an aerospace
company. Avcen does not need investment to get to the POC flight
trials, but such early investor interest would certainly accelerate
this process. After the POC is completed, we know that we can raise
considerable funds to take the aircraft into production. Ideally,
we are keen to talk to a "partner" investor in a country interested
in hosting the manufacture of as much as 80% of the Jetpod. We are
particularly interested in the Gulf region, e.g. UAE. The aircraft
design office will remain in Europe and the aircraft will be
finished in Europe.