

Who Doesn't Want Their Own Personal Flying Watercraft? - mielles
http://www.futureofgadgets.com/futureblogger/show/1337-who-doesn-t-want-their-own-personal-flying-watercraft-

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yan
As someone who is currently getting his pilot's license, I wouldn't be
comfortable sitting in a craft that abstracts flying to making "it seem like
more of a car that is able to move in three dimensions." Regular pilots are
well-versed in everything from weather, to emergency conditions, to physics of
flight and practicing everything that can possibly go wrong. Not to mention
interacting with other aircrafts. I really hope that they took this into
account. It's very improbable that they didn't.

I am just scared that many drivers' feelings of entitlement being transferred
to something that flies. People forget that a car is capable of injury and
death and end up taking liberties behind the wheel. Then again, it might be
psychologically different when you're actually flying.

I'm all for opening up aviation to a wider audience, but something doesn't
smell right.

edit: Looks like they require a sport pilot license. I'm less worried now :)

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ryanwaggoner
You don't need to worry too much...unless they manage to get it under 254
pounds and qualify it as an ultralight, the FAA will still be the last word on
the requirements to fly it.

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paddy_m
Sport pilots are allowed to fly Light Sport planes. Light Sport planes can
weigh up to 1320 lbs. If you are interested in flying read some of Phillip
Greenspun's stuff.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-sport_aircraft>
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_certification_in_the_Unit...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_certification_in_the_United_States#Sport_pilot)

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ryanwaggoner
Sport pilots and Light sport planes still fall under FAA rules and still
require fairly extensive flight training and certification.

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ryanwaggoner
This airplane looks like it will be awesome. However, as someone who has grown
up around aviation and is always looking at what's available and the new
companies that are launching, this seems like another vaporware project. A big
warning sign to me is the amount of press and publicity they're going after,
but almost all their promotional images are CG mockups. If they're planning on
mass-producing this thing in 2010, they should have flying models right now.
Not saying it'll never happen, but don't be surprised if the price point and
delivery date both change. I hope I'm wrong.

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volida
hello? there is a video with a prototype flying?

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dmix
300 preorders? Not bad for a new expensive product/technology.

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vaksel
its not that expensive compared to other planes. + people always want to be
the first to have the latest gadget

