The long-predicted (and never achieved) dream of door-to-door personal flight remains realistic to some researchers. Mark Moore heads up NASA’s experimental personal aircraft research program and he claims the dawn of the era of “personal aircraft vehicles” is not far away, with an initial demonstrator coming in three to five years. With the help of computerized controls and other technological aids, Moore told the Raleigh News and Observer that people will be able to zip from place to place in safety and comfort after five days of flight training in an aircraft that costs not much more than a luxury car. Moore and his partner Andy Hahn’s vision of the future takes form in the Chivetta, a Corvette-powered four-seat aircraft with a propeller on the tail. The duo hopes to have a demonstration model as early as 2007. “Once we demonstrate these things, we hope that industry will jump in,” Moore said. And the Chivetta is just the beginning, Moore claims. Vertical takeoff aircraft will be able to launch from every driveway while computers keep them flying and keep them from flying into each other.
…As NASA Seeks Airplane In Every Garage
Key Takeaways:
- NASA's Mark Moore advocates for the near-future realization of personal aircraft vehicles (PAVs), with a demonstrator anticipated within three to five years.
- These PAVs, exemplified by the Chivetta concept, are envisioned as safe, comfortable, and easy to fly with computerized controls, requiring minimal training and costing about as much as a luxury car.
- Moore's ultimate vision includes vertical takeoff aircraft launching from driveways, managed by advanced computer systems for safety and collision avoidance, aimed at inspiring industry adoption.
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