Flying is an ageold dream of mankind, and he has invented various methods of flying to pursue that dream. PAL-V Europe is a Dutch company who are developing a flying car, the PAL-V One. With Pal-V one you can leave home and fly-drive to almost any destination! Avoid traffic jams and cross lakes, fjords, rivers or mountain ranges like an eagle.It combines within one vehicle the freedom and excitement of flying like a bird in the sky with the choice of driving with breathtaking performance on the roads and highways.
The PAL-V ONE is a two seat hybrid car and gyroplane: a personal air and land vehicle. What makes the PAL-V ONE attractive is the convenience of fully integrated door-to-door transportation. On the ground this slim, aerodynamic, 3-wheeled vehicle has the comfort of a car with the agility of a motorcycle thanks to its patented, cutting-edge, ‘tilting’ system. It can be driven to the nearest airfield and take off just like any other airplane. The single rotor and propeller are unfolded to make the PAL-V ONE ready to fly.
The PAL-V in flight is an autogyro or gyrocopter, with a pusher propeller at the rear of the fuselage providing forward thrust and a free-spinning rotor providing lift. Directional stability is provided by twin boom-mounted tailfins.
It has a tricycle undercarriage with relatively large wheels.
On the ground, the propeller and rotor are stopped and power is diverted to the wheels, allowing it to travel as a three-wheeled car. Unusually, it leans into turns like a motorcycle, a solution pioneered by the Carver vehicle, also produced by a Dutch company.
The Pal-V One has two seats and a 160 kW flight certified gasoline engine, giving it a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph) on land and 110 miles an hour in air, and a Maximum Takeoff Weight of 910 kg.
A team of top engineers has been working on the first prototypes since finalization of the design concept in 2008. Renowned institutes such as the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory and Delft University have also been involved in the development. The driving prototype was fully tested in 2009 and now the flying-driving prototype has made its first flights. The PAL-V complies with existing regulations in all major markets, which means that the vehicle is allowed both in road traffic and in the air.
A prototype model has been flown and the company is seeking funds to develop the type for production. Estimated unit price is around $300,000.
Company site: Personal Air and Land Vehichle