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 indicated that over half of AVweb readers avoid flying commercially with Air Transport Association (ATA) member airlines due to their stance on user fees and blaming general aviation for flight delays.
NASA recently completed its first Personal Air Vehicle Challenge, awarding $250,000 in prize money to four contestants.
The article raises the question of whether the challenge money was well spent, given that the winning personal air vehicles were modified existing models and did not feature groundbreaking technology or promise a mass-market solution.

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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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