One common-sense piece of advice business people can give you when you start your own company is not try and walk the path which led others to failure. Because, you know, it's probably a very good reason behind their not succeeding.
Flying cars we've seen before. As concepts, as drawings, as physical embodiments of someone's dreams at some or other auto or aviation show. None of them, so far, managed to even enter limited series production.
And now we have another one. One that promises to be the first flying car to enter (somewhat) mass-production. That's because it already, it says, managed to take some reservations for the $400,000 PAL-V Liberty flying cars.
And now we'll get to see one at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show in March. Before we do, the creators of the three-wheeled-rotating wing contraption released this invitation for all the world to be part of the Journey to Geneva. Whatever that means.
Before we get to see the thing in the metal, here's some insight, courtesy of PAL. First off, even if it looks like one, it is not a helicopter. It’s a gyroplane, meaning it can't take off vertically. Secondly, despite the extremely steep price tag, you will not enjoy luxury in this car/gyrocopter. Nor will you have lot of baggage space.
To drive one, alongside the driver's license you'll have to have a flying license. But, at least, gyroplane licenses only require 35 hours of flight training are the easiest to get in the industry. Says PAL.
“Some are not convinced that flying cars will ever happen,” states the company on its website. “They say that launch announcements have been made before, yet not a single vehicle is commercially viable.”
“Existing road and flight regulations the biggest challenge in building the PAL-V Liberty (or any flying car) as a commercially viable vehicle that customers can use.”
Of course, we all knew that. So do the guys that tried it before and failed. PAL promises to have the first Liberties delivered by year's end. Let's wait and see. Until then, off to Geneva!
And now we have another one. One that promises to be the first flying car to enter (somewhat) mass-production. That's because it already, it says, managed to take some reservations for the $400,000 PAL-V Liberty flying cars.
And now we'll get to see one at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show in March. Before we do, the creators of the three-wheeled-rotating wing contraption released this invitation for all the world to be part of the Journey to Geneva. Whatever that means.
Before we get to see the thing in the metal, here's some insight, courtesy of PAL. First off, even if it looks like one, it is not a helicopter. It’s a gyroplane, meaning it can't take off vertically. Secondly, despite the extremely steep price tag, you will not enjoy luxury in this car/gyrocopter. Nor will you have lot of baggage space.
To drive one, alongside the driver's license you'll have to have a flying license. But, at least, gyroplane licenses only require 35 hours of flight training are the easiest to get in the industry. Says PAL.
“Some are not convinced that flying cars will ever happen,” states the company on its website. “They say that launch announcements have been made before, yet not a single vehicle is commercially viable.”
“Existing road and flight regulations the biggest challenge in building the PAL-V Liberty (or any flying car) as a commercially viable vehicle that customers can use.”
Of course, we all knew that. So do the guys that tried it before and failed. PAL promises to have the first Liberties delivered by year's end. Let's wait and see. Until then, off to Geneva!