Beating the traffic

Chrisgoesflying

Chrisgoesflying

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Chrisgoesflying
I just came across the Zapata Air Scooter and while I'm not a fan of all the new hype electric or hybrid flying machines, for some reason I find this one intriguing. If you live in a traffic congested area, this could save you hours commuting to and from work. The question is, would regs have to change? We all know the altitude minimums over congested areas so would an Air Scooter owner actually be legal flying a few hundred feet over the city to get to and from work? Where I live, our sky is already full with delivery drones so seeing the occasional Air Scooter wouldn't bother me personally. Just sharing for discussion purposes. I won't be buying one. I don't have $250k sitting around waiting to be spent right now and if I did, I'd put it into my Comanche. For now, I'll keep waiting out the Dallas traffic jams lol. https://www.zapata.com/airscooter/
 
Bill said:
Most people can’t drive for ****, do you really want them having free reign in the skies?
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You're right about that lol. They are building it as a single seat ultralight so no license needed. That's scary. Wonder if the FAA should step in and require a license for it if it becomes somewhat mainstream.
 
They say no license needed, but they also have simulators and instructors...

But this product of theirs seems further along... enjoy. I'll watch. From a distance.

Flyboard Air® by Franky Zapata - Zapata

Discover Flyboard Air® by Franky Zapata, the smallest redundant manned aircraft ever built. Find out everything about the engine : performance et specifications.
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How long before the no license, no medical, no lessons folks decide it would be a good idea to unknowingly fly into busy towered airport?
 
Salty said:
They say no license needed, but they also have simulators and instructors...

But this product of theirs seems further along... enjoy. I'll watch. From a distance.

Flyboard Air® by Franky Zapata - Zapata

Discover Flyboard Air® by Franky Zapata, the smallest redundant manned aircraft ever built. Find out everything about the engine : performance et specifications.
www.zapata.com www.zapata.com
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Jeez. I would think anyone willing to fly that thing risks their huge balls being sucked into the air intakes. :o
 
And where would you land said contraption? Most municipalities require special insurance or substantial bond to land anywhere except an airport. Does look like fun though, and that’s from someone who built/flew a mosquito from my home.
 
Not a reality for the normal,economically challenged. Wher do you park it for the day.
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
would regs have to change? We all know the altitude minimums over congested areas so would an Air Scooter owner actually be legal flying a few hundred feet over the city to get to and from work?
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Yes.

Their website says it's a part 103 ultralight. Ultralights are prohibited from flying over any congested area at ANY altitude for any reason (no "except while taking off or landing" exception).
 
Thanks for pointing this one out. I like that it's a hybrid, so it has a 2 hr range.
I hope it has a small battery that can deliver 5-10 min of power if the ICE stops.
If it is $100K, I think it will sell well.
 
From the way I see motorcycles driven on the freeway, in regards to the Zapata and its ilk, I predict carnage.
I sold my sports car 15-ish years ago because it was too much fun to drive like an idiot.
 
I would be interested. But I want to personally see a person walk up, get in, start it, fly for 1.5 hours, land and walk away. Because, the energy empirical evidence says "nyet comrade".
 
If you don't want a part 103 ultralight, it would probably be a good idea to not buy a part 103 ultralight.
 
Where are you going to land something like that in a high-rise city? Tie-downs? Recharging stations? Doors?
I'm just not seeing any broad market.
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
For now, I'll keep waiting out the Dallas traffic jams lol. https://www.zapata.com/airscooter/
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Domenick said:
Where are you going to land something like that in a high-rise city? Tie-downs? Recharging stations? Doors?
I'm just not seeing any broad market.
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Dana said:
Their website says it's a part 103 ultralight. Ultralights are prohibited from flying over any congested area at ANY altitude for any reason (no "except while taking off or landing" exception).
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You can't fly an ultralight over a city, or under Class B, but... you can register a plane as light sport even though it qualifies as an ultralight. I know guys who have done this with single-seat powered parachutes because they lived under the Mode C veil.

As far as beating traffic, in Texas, we're about to get air taxi pilot program. Not sure many of us will want to pay for an air taxi service, but it may become an option.
KXAN Story
 
I kind of like it. Their closest competitor is the Jetson, except you can't take the Jetson on cross city commutes like you could with this thing. I like that the blades are mounted up high, giving it more inherent stability. I agree there isn't a broad market though. Their website states a price of $156K. It's probably fair for what it is, considering a new R22 is $400K+.

Then again you can get a turbine Mosquito for $50K and piston versions probably less than that, with a whole lot more range.
 
It’s certainly less stable when on the ground.
 
Sac Arrow said:
?? Why not?
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Pendulum stability doesn't apply to rotorcraft. A conventional helicopter is unstable.

This is stable enough to be controlled by the pilot's weight shift:

1774476700561.png
 
Dana said:
Pendulum stability doesn't apply to rotorcraft. A conventional helicopter is unstable.

This is stable enough to be controlled by the pilot's weight shift:

View attachment 151041
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In the EVTOL example, I would -think- that the failure of a rotor in the high mounted helicopter-ish example would be less adverse than the failure of a rotor in say, the Jetson.

Now in your example, placing the rotors above the pilot would probably be so stable that it couldn't even be maneuvered by means of weight shift.

EDIT

Some cursory Internet searches agree with you but, given helicopters are inherently unstable to begin with, how can the example you cite be stable at all?

Somehow I think we are confusing terms. Taken to logical extremes, I think a one-bladed helicopter sufficiently ballisted would actually work.
 
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Sac Arrow said:
Now in your example, placing the rotors above the pilot would probably be so stable that it couldn't even be maneuvered by means of weight shift.
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It wouldn't be maneuverable, but it wouldn't be stable. With the Aerocycle and the Hiller flying platform it was found there is a narrow CG range (above the rotors) where it was neutrally stable but well enough damped that it was controllable. Too low and it was uncontrollable, too high and it was dynamically unstable.

Don't think of it like a weight (pendulum) hanging from a pivot fixed in space. In a rotorcraft, the pivot point is moving with the mass of the rest of the craft, so gravity doesn't correct any displacement from vertical.
 
I'm going to jump out on a limb and suggest that the person who can a) afford one and b) has the guts to fly one fits into the category of personality and means that c) already doesn't have a commute that they don't like, because they wouldn't have taken the job. Just guessing.

Now the people who have the means to buy it as a toy? Different answer.
 
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