Question of the Week: Was NASA's Personal Air Vehicle Challenge a Good Use of Funds?

Question of the Week: Was NASA’s Personal Air Vehicle Challenge a Good Use of Funds?

Editorial Staff

Thursday, August 16, 2007 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

A previous poll revealed that over half of AVweb readers avoid flying commercially on Air Transport Association (ATA) member airlines due to the ATA's anti-general aviation stance and pro-user-fee positions.
NASA's inaugural Personal Air Vehicle Challenge concluded, awarding $250,000 to contestants, though the entered aircraft featured modified existing designs without groundbreaking technology, prompting a new poll question on whether the prize money was well spent.

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This Week’s Question |Previous Week’s Answers

PREVIOUS RESULTS ***

Now that Delta Air Lines has become the latest Air Transport Association member to lay the blame for commercial flight delays at the feet of general aviation, we’ve heard quite a few complaints about the ATA from the G.A. segment of our audience.

Last week, we asked if AVweb readers are making commercial flight choices based on the ATA’s pro-user-fee stances, and found that well over half of you (based on the poll response) avoid flying commercially on ATA member airlines when possible.

For a full breakdown of options and reader responses, click here.
(You may be asked to register and answer, if you haven’t already participated in this poll.)

THIS WEEK’S QUESTION ***

NASA’s first Personal Air Vehicle Challenge concluded this past weekend, with the full $250,000 in prize money awarded in various amounts to the four contestants. The entered airplanes were modified versions of certified and experimental models, but none incorporated any truly groundbreaking technology, nor will any of them lead to a personal air vehicle for the masses. Do you think this money was well spent?

Click here to answer.

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