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.

FMI: www.avcen.com