The way it was

[onetrack]

I would imagine that these things will have similar restrictions to recreational aviation machines, when they are finally allowed into the airways.

And that would mean a lot of major restrictions on when and where they can be used, and what speeds they can attain.

And I would expect they would be strictly VFR, and largely kept out of controlled airspace, for many years to come.

I cannot imagine that the necessary technology, vastly increased aviation regulations, and other "controlled environment" requirements, will be in place to allow them to operate wholesale, for at least another 20-25 years.

[facthunter]

They are never going to be quiet and they are never going to be able to glide. IF they fly near buildings they are going to be subject to some pretty variable winds. Nev

[kgwilson]

I don't think personal flying cars or whatever you want to call them will be an authorised form of transport unless fully autonomous and only after a lots of testing and real world operation is able to prove at least 99% reliability, performance and compliance.

 

First will come semi autonomous taxi style commuter transport with a pilot to make sure that the computers do what they are supposed to do and everything goes to plan. These are quite likely to begin as airport to inner city drop off & pickup points, much the same as what billionaires and executives do today with helicopters. Later will come fully autonomous aerial taxi services and lastly personal transport but with an automated computer as chauffeur.

[planedriver]

First flights could possibly go somthing like this.

After initial take off and passengers settling in, an announcement over the PA system states

"Ladies and Gentleman, welcome aboard the inaugural autonomous rocket assisted flight service betwen Heathrow and New York.

Our flying time today is expected to be just over 1 1/2hrs duration.

Such are the advancements in aviation,that everthing is fully automatc, therefore not necessitating the need of a pilot on this aircraft

As you settle back and enjoy your flight, you can rest assured that all systems have been rigorously tested, retested and tested again to ensure that there's not the slightest chance that anything can Go Wrong! Go Wrong! Go Wrong!

[skippydiesel]

Dim memories of:

Nearly always staying overnight in a swanky hotel.

Visits to the flight deck - Wow! all those dials in such a small space but much quieter than back in the cabin.

DC3 - hauling oneself up the isles to your seat. Once, passengers asked to look out windows to try & spot a downed plane.

Super Connie on 3 engines over the Indian Ocean.

Bristle Wayfarer - loading a car. Had to be the ugliest aircraft ever.

DH Heron - always had chicken sandwiches & blanket, barely seemed to move, as it droned over the Pacific. On landing, passengers bolted for the bush to relieve themselves.

DH Comet - stunning looking but so small.

Boeing Stratocruiser - my Dad coming up from the bar, a tad worse for drink

My first Boeing 707 - very impressed, the noise and vibration on takeoff was really exhilarating

My first 747 - BIG! and a tad boring

Many others of lesser impact.

 

[facthunter]

BRISTOL.   Probably Channel Air Bridge?  My first flight deck ride in a jumpseat in a B727  when  they were flown a lot faster than was the case later. It was like going to the  moon for me. Then I ended up doing more time in them than all my other hours put together. Nev

[johnm]

in 14.5 years I could be burnt at the stake as a heretic ........... but I think any person that thinks a future society will have flying cars must have a deluded psyhcosis that stems from the Jetsons - probably a parental / paternalistic feeling of nurture & comfort as George ? Jetson blits off to work. Tommorrow I am prepared to wager $ 10,000 that a flying car spciety will never exist

 

 

 

[facthunter]

Free Beer Tomorrow.. ? Nev

[onetrack]

There's very little that mankind has imagined that hasn't come true in some form. Maybe not in our lifetimes, but some near future period will almost certainly utilise personalised air transport.

As with many things, no-one can predict what inventions will appear in the future, to bring about wholesale changes to society.

 

If the early "future projectionists" could've foreseen the invention of the transistor and electronics miniaturisation, they would've been much more accurate with their projections. As it was, a number of them did foresee important inventions.

 

Edited March 17 by onetrack

[spacesailor]

jM

Just imagine.  The advances in our ( my ) lifetime. 

From silent movies,  steam on All large engines , the computer that had to have it's own room , watch 's that tell your health . Replacement body parts ( my hip ) .

CGI movies without actors . 

AND the first ( In a long time ) musical instrument .

Played like a piano looks like a guitar. 

' markwhitelive.com ' cascade .

Unable to make an Internet connection for this site . But great music . With a good tree hugging cause .

spacesailor