The Paris Air Show is showcasing the cutting edge of air travel.
A next-generation Concorde, personal jets, flying cars … . These would seem like science fiction, but many are in fact production prototypes.
There is the Cirrus SF50 Vision single-engine personal jet—with parachute.
The jet overcomes the worst fear of a jet pilot—loss of engine power—by packing a plane-sized parachute. Should the motor shut down, the whole plane can drift to earth gently.
“Cirrus is launching itself into a new sector of small personal jets which wasn’t yet explored or developed,” explains, Charlotte Bellec, CEO of Aerolithe, Cirrus importer for France. “We know … it is very successful because as of today, we have more than 570 preorders, and the biggest interest comes from pilots flying single engine piston aircraft that want to progress.”
Personal jets are at one end of the spectrum—passenger jets are at the other. And the new Boom supersonic transport plans to stretch that spectrum a bit wider.
“Every passenger wants faster flights, every airline is hungry for something different and better to offer to their passengers and thanks to fifty years of progress and how we build airplanes, aerodynamics, materials and engines, you can build a supersonic airplane which is affordable to fly and profitable to the operator as an airline,” said Blake Scholl, Boom’s CEO.
The Boom XB-1 is projected to be 100 mph faster than the Concorde—it could fly from New York to London in 3 hours and 15 minutes.
Scholl believes that with breakthroughs in materials, aerodynamics, and engines, it is now possible to build and operate supersonic transports which are affordable for passengers and profitable for airlines.
Scholl said he saw tremendous advances in every field of technology but air travel. “That’s what we want to do with Boom: Let’s bring progress back to airplanes,” said Scholl.
There is a whole new branch of commercial flight besides carrying passengers—Aerobatic wants to carry cargo into space.
The company displayed its lunar cargo module, which it said could transport material to the moon for $1.2 million per kilogram. If any nation does decide to build a Moon base, Aerobatic will be at the top of the supply-carrier list.
What captures the imagination most readily is personal flight.
The flying car has been an impractical dream for two generations. Many have tried—none have succeeded.
AeroMobil has decided to take another shot at the elusive target.
AeroMobil plans to have its hybrid-engined hybrid car-plane on the market later this year. The projected price would be between $1.34 million and $1.67 million. Anyone could drive, but only a licensed pilot would be able to take it airborne.
Drones, with their stable horizontal-rotor platforms, have inspired quite a few designers.
The BYEGRAVITY Flike flying bike isn’t ready for market but it creates excitement.
“I think that the technology is ready for personal transportation flying vehicles,” said BYEGRAVITY CEO Balasz Kerulo.
“It’s evolving, it’s booming, we have better and better battery technologies. We have all the means of a computer-controlled drone technology that is needed for this use case and I still believe that even me or you will be flying these kinds of things within ten or maybe 15 years.”
The prototype Flike has a flight time of about 20 minutes and can hit 37 mph. Kerulo is looking for investors who see the possibilities.
On a similar if quieter note there is the Mini Bee Plane.
The Mini Bee has electric power, and seats three. It is scheduled for testing by the end of next year.
The Paris Air Show will be open to the public from June 23 to 25. Organizers expect 350,000 visitors.
