Wed, Jul 21, 2010
Company Makes Airplane Pod Which Carries, Among Other
Things, A Street-Legal Motorcycle
MotoPOD LLC has been awarded a grant from The Wolf Aviation Fund
for their work to advance personal air transportation. The company
has developed a patent-pending belly pod that allows pilots to
carry a street-legal motorcycle beneath their airplane. After
landing, it takes just 90 seconds to remove the motorcycle, unfold
the handlebars and ride away. The invention will be displayed next
week at the AirVenture airshow in Oshkosh.
Company President David Shelton says the invention overcomes a
century-old problem with "James Bond" style. "Two-thirds of the
small airports don't have ground transportation services, making it
tricky to fly places," he said. "By combining air and ground
transportation, we're providing pilots with a complete door-to-door
solution. It's much faster, more convenient and fun to boot."
Shelton also added, "We want our customers to visit new places,
explore their destinations and travel more conveniently than ever
before."
The Wolf Aviation Fund, which was established in the wills of
Alfred L. and Constance C. Wolf, funds the most promising
individuals and worthy projects that advance the field of general
aviation. Rol Murrow, the Fund's Executive Director said, "We are
always looking for modest, yet far ranging and unique projects
which promise to expand the utility of general aviation aircraft.
The MotoPOD eloquently provides the often missing link once a pilot
lands at an airport and we hope a new generation of aviators finds
it to be a great resource."
The streamlined pods are constructed from high performance
composite materials. They contain a winch system, molded cradles
and other components to help load, store and remove the motorcycle.
The pods may also be used to haul bicycles, skis and other bulky
items. The motorcycles are specially modified to make them lighter,
spill proof and foldable. They provide highway performance for two
adults, yet quickly fold to store beneath the airplane.
The pods are currently available for the Vans RV-10, a common
4-place kit airplane. The Company is working towards FAA
certification and products will soon be available for the Cirrus
SR-22, Cessna 182, Diamond DA-42 and other common production
airplanes. Belly pods are available for around $8,000 and the
company offers a folding motorcycle conversion for about
$5,500.
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