We’re going to have to wait a little longer for the Slovakian car to hit the market. Until that moment, however, the Russians apparently may have something better in the works. Sure, it’s not a flying auto, but it does cost about as much as you’d pay for a sportscar, and it even works with the same 95 octane fuel.
The Russians are coming, and we’re not talking about the famous 1966 comedy film directed by Norman Jewison. They are rather coming back, if you wish, back in the transportation industry. Let me tell you this much, if this puppy will fly safe, there’s going to be a lot of Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche dealers in US left out of Hollywood customers. Let’s take a closer look first though.
Code name? Afalina. Price? $120,000 a piece. The point of its creation? Fulfilling wealthy people’s dream to change their luxury car fleet with helicopters.
Leaving all the jokes behind for a moment, it’s not just prosperous bachelors like Dan Bilzerian who will want one of these puppies. According to Russia Today, Afalina is designed as a multipurpose helicopter capable of performing a variety of tasks, including the training of pilots, maintenance of pipelines and power lines, aerial surveillance, police patrolling and so on.
In terms of innovative features, HeliWhale, the company producing these aircraft, mentioned the customizable Enigma system, which allows the pilot to pick and choose his cockpit display layout from hundred of devices and functions. Then there’s the coaxial positioning of rotors that makes them easy to fly, more silent and more resistant to lateral wind gusts.
Afalina’s maximum speed is 250 km/h (155 mph) with the aircraft weighing 270 kg (595 lbs). The company claims the two-seat chopper is capable of carrying a payload of another 180 kg (396 bs) with the consumption ranging between 12 and 16 liters (3 to 4 gallons) per hour.
Now, if the Russian helicopter lives up to its expectations, then we’re clearly looking at one of the cheapest if not truly the most economical of the kind on the market. I guess we’re going to have to wait until next year when it will go into production to find out.
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