Entecho's Hoverpod: the 3-seat, skirt-steered, 75mph VTOL flying saucer

As an ex-pilot, private, bush flying, floats and wheels, IFR rated, with about four thousand hours as pilot in command I must state: Amateurs should not fly.

Consider the wide-spread carnage and social cost of automobile availability. Flying is a high skill, a little like playing the violin. No matter how well educated flyers are, they must put in scheduled hours of practice. Even the most experienced professional pilots know this and will take check rides when the least bit rusty.

Forget the regulations, there are moments in flying which demand this very high skill, particularly in weather (which, in truth, is not predictable). This applies to all flying: private, commercial, flying saucers, helicopters even magic carpets.

curmudgin

- May 4, 2009 @ 11:05 am PDT

Curmudgin, some of us happen to love vehicles that demand skill and attention. :)

Loz

- May 4, 2009 @ 04:05 pm PDT

I agree curmudgin

Still going to be difficult to stop people from trying.

1.5 metres hi at 120 kmph. How do you change direction fast enough to avoid hitting, i don't know, a person who jumps out in front of you?

All we can do is laugh really at all these obviously talented individuals fighting between each other for the title of 'most disastrous and objectively pointless energy black hole in the name of 50's style futurism'.

hughmama

- May 4, 2009 @ 07:05 pm PDT

Curmudgin - How do you think you got to be a pilot? From the legacy left to you by years of aviation pioneers; amateurs all.

Stop being a typical stick-in-the-mud MODERN pilot who is more concerned with rules, flight plans and regulations than in having any actual FUN flying. Modern pilots are about as free-spirited as accountants.

Home-made, experimental flying vehicles should be encouraged!

Xolin

- May 4, 2009 @ 09:05 pm PDT

Xolin, is your brain switched on? "rules, flight plans and regulations" are all designed for one reason, keeping the occupants of the aircraft alive. Being dead isnt much fun. If you disagree may I recommend the airline Garuda? They dont like rules and regs either, thats why so many of their passengers havent made it to their intended destinations over the years and why their pilots are in jail, they were just trying to have some FUN.

johnson81

- May 6, 2009 @ 12:05 am PDT

I dont get it - its just a hovercraft - not only that its a hover craft that seems to be impossible to get into easily. sure the height is impressive, but its not clear how it will achieve that 120km top speed given that its just using the skirt to propel it forward. the 3k range makes it pretty impractical for anything other than tearing around a paddock, and the fuel economy is definitely rubbish.

fluffy bunny

- May 7, 2009 @ 09:05 am PDT