Electric Wings The trend of vehicle electrification has grown steadily over the last few years. Not only targeting motorcycles, cars, to buses and trucks, the trend has also begun to penetrate the aircraft industry. This could be seen on an electric powered small private aircraft developed by Eviation, an Israeli technology start-up.
This is Alice, an electric-powered aircraft developed by an Israeli company named Eviation and was debuted at the Paris Air Show 2019. (Picture from: IndoZone)
Recently the Israeli start-up developed its first commercial electric-powered aircraft named Alice. The electric-powered aircraft was exhibited for the first time at the Paris Air Show 2019. This aircraft is scheduled to fly for the first time this year and be sold to the market in 2022.
As quoted of Bussines Insider, the Alice eco-friendly aircraft is able to carry nine passengers and two crew and also capable of traveling a distance of 1,000 km, with a maximum speed of 240 knots or 445 kph on a single battery charge.
The Eviation Alice eco-friendly aircraft is able to carry nine passengers and two
crew. (Picture from:OtoDetik)
And the battery of the aircraft was a very large lithium-ion battery weighing around 3,600 kg. For the business purposed, the fuselage design is made of lightweight materials with three propellers attached on both wings and tail.
This eco-friendly aircraft fleet is claimed to be able to reduce air ticket prices between 40% -80%. This is because electric aircraft do not cost as much as the operating costs of conventional aircraft. The calculation is that electric planes only need US$ 200 per flight hour for operation.
The Eviation Alice electric-powered aircraft also capable of traveling a distance of 1,000 km, with a
maximum speed of 240 knots or 445 kph on a single battery charge. (Picture from:OtoDetik)
Seeing this, the CEO and Co Founder of Eviation, Omer Bar-Yohay estimates that the Alice aircraft will be certified in 2022. Where, US-based airline Cape Air has decided to buy this plane at a price of US $ 4 million or approx Rp. 56.4 billion.
And the American company itself plans to use Alice's electric plane to serve regional routes from Boston to Nantucket, Marthy's Vineyard, to New Hampshire and New York. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | EVIATION | ]
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Flying Hypercar The development of automotive technology does not only focus on electric-powered and autonomous vehicles, but also flying cars. The development of this type of vehicle is largely based on futuristic assumptions which are intended as a solution to the current problem of urban society, namely traffic congestion due to more increasing population.
The Bellwether Industries’ Volar eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aerial ride named the Antelope is a flying hypercar for private owners. (Picture from: Khaleej Times)
Although the development of this type of vehicle is mostly still in the assessment stage and is still far from practical as conventional vehicles currently exist, nevertheless all of them deserve appreciation as an inspiring and innovative technological breakthrough.
Recently, there's one futuristic hypercar-likened flying ride had successfully completed a series of test flights in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its flight tests is revealed, a day after the Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA) was held its first legal forum to review the legislation for flying taxis.
This Bellwether Industries’ Volar eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) is the world’s first aerial ride without a large wingspan or exposed blades, making it ideal for urban use. (Picture from: New Atlas)
Those electric-powered hypercar-likened flying ride is called the Bellwether Industries Volar eVTOL aka the Antelope is designed and developed by a London-based startup company named Bellwether Industries. And by November 2021, the Antelope prototype (in half-scale) has managed to complete a series of testing in Dubai.
The company said that the ultimate vision of a full-scale the Antelope Volar eVTOL ride will be a 4-to-5-seat aircraft carrying out intracity travels at an altitude of 3,000 feet (915 metres) with a speed of up to 220 kilometres per hour (135 miles per hour).
As qouted of Khaleej Times, in the last two years, the whole team whose developed the Bellwether Volar eVTOL (stands for 'electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing') aerial vehicle has also carried out several iteration phases to improve the the prototype's flight capability and performances.
The Bellwether Volar eVTOL prototype called the Antelope in half-scale has managed to complete its free-flight tests in Dubai. (Picture from: Coventry Telegraph)
“Our Volar flying prototype smoothly and proves our pursuit of innovation and technology. We believe in our volar and will strive for perfection with continuous improvement," said Kai-Tse Lin, chief operating officer and co-founder of Bellwether Industries.
“The test flight was carried out at an altitude of 13 feet at a speed of 40 km per hour. This test demonstrates the stability and controllability of the prototype. This step will be the beginning of a series of development projects," he added.
Bellwether says the ultimate vision of a full-scale Volar will be a 4-to-5-seat aircraft carrying out intracity travels at an altitude of 3,000 feet (915 metres) with a speed of up to 220 kilometres per hour (135 miles per hour). (Picture from: Khaleej Times)
As proof of the success of the test, the company then posted a short video of the Volar's test flight on social media titled "The era of urban air mobility has begun." As you can see on the video the flying vehicle was capable taking off from an open area of the park, then flying in a while before landing again safely.
The current prototype only has two seats, in the future, the hypercar-likened flying ride can be filled with five seats that capable to fly about 5 people. The company mentioned that its flying hypercar is designed to replace the currently conventional road-use vehicle, and also could be said the Bellwether Industries' Antelope is the world's first eVTOL flying ride without a large of wingspans or exposed propeller blades.
Next development of the Antelope aerial ride prototype in the full-scale is scheduled to be completed and ready to re-test in 2023. Furthermore the company said as qouted of its official website, they believe that people traveling in the sky are inevitable in the next 10 years. Therefore, and that's the reason they made the Volar aerial ride afor anyone to fly anytime and anywhere to any point.
Although the Volar was not the first flying cars have been explored in Dubai. As we all knew during the 2021 Dubai Air Show, there's a Florida-based LuftCar said it was developing an autonomous land-rides that could be mounted and removed from the flying module.
As we all knew, Dubai has passed a law regulating the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in July 2020. So in November, the RTA said it was reviewing the legislation of the flying taxis and self-driving skypods.
This seems to be in line with the Dubai's ambitious Sky Dome project which be allowed the city's skies filled by manned or unmanned aerial rides that will link places and buildings via landing pads and mini airports across the city. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BELLWETHER INDUSTRIES | EVTOL | KHALEEJ TIMES | THENATIONALNEWS ]
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FLYing Car To celebrate a legendary car model anniversary, the car manufacturers sometimes do something unusual but still have a connection with the model. We can see this when the French manufacturer Renault celebrates the 60th anniversary of its legendary Renault 4L model.
Renault teamed up with TheArsenale to create an electric flying car called the Air4 to celebrate the legendary Renault 4L's 60th anniversary. (Picture from: TheArsenale)
For your information, actually Renault 4L was a simple, efficient and versatile four-wheeled vehicle made between 1961-1992. Amazingly, the Renault's iconic car from has sold more than 8 million units in more than 100 countries in a period of 30 years.
In the context of the anniversary of the legendary model, Renault unmitigated intends to make a futuristic flying car by using the Renault 4L as the model and called 'Air4'. To realize this desire, the French automotive manufacturer then collaborated with an American automotive design house, TheArsenale which is touted as 'the ultimate brand dedicated to the future of mobility.'
The Renault 4L (in pictured 1978 model) was a simple, efficient and versatile four-wheeled vehicle made between 1961-1992. (Picture from: GesaInTech)
The collaboration between Renault and TheArsenale is not only about making flying cars, but has a very special value. Because this will make young people feel how to drive an iconic car, but not on the road, but flying.
The Air4 flying car concept is made entirely of carbon fiber and is also designed to have dynamic capabilities for flight by using four propellers. (Picture from: AnakTeknik)
This is actually if you look deeper, it is in line with the concept of the automotive world in the future, where everything is fast and comfortable. Yes, it can't be helped, the roads are now crowded with vehicles and jammed everywhere, so flying cars can be one of the new breakthroughs for Our world today.
As mentioned above that The Air4 retains the retro design of the legendary Renault 4L and at first glance it looks far from the design language of a modern car. Physically, when compared to its classic conventional four-wheeled model, the Air4 is made entirely of carbon fiber and is also designed to have dynamic capabilities for flight by using four propellers.
The fact is that all of the work on the Air4 flying car concept was carried out at the first
European' technology park at Sophia Antipolis, Côte d'Azur, France. (Picture from: AnakTeknik)
In the design, the engineers from TheArsenale always do it with full calculation in order to get satisfactory results. Another interesting fact is that all of the work on the Air4 was carried out at the first European' technology park at Sophia Antipolis, Côte d'Azur, France.
The Air4 flying car concept is driven by an electric motor powered by a 22,000 mAh lithium polymer battery pack with a total capacity of 90,000 mAh. (Picture from: Motor1)
From a technical point of view, the Air4 is driven by an electric motor powered by a 22,000 mAh lithium polymer battery pack with a total capacity of 90,000 mAh. The maximum duration of flight is one of the matrices that needs to be considered so as not to run out of battery in the flight. Until now, flying car makers (Renault and TheArsenale) have not stated yet about how long the Air4 can float in the air with minimum power.
The Air4 flying car concept will be on display at the Atelier Renault on the Champs Elysées in Paris, France, from November 29, 2021 through the end of the year. (Picture from: TheArsenale)
The unique flying vehicle relies on a horizontal top speed of 26 m/s during flight with a tilt angle of 45° to a maximum incline of 70°. The Renault Air4 is capable of flying as high as 700 meter with a takeoff speed of 14 m/s, but is held at 4 m/s for safety reasons, and a landing speed of 3 m/s. As you could be seen, the Air4 flying car concept itself has 4 propellers on each corner and offers a maximum vectorial thrust of 380 kilograms, or 95 kg per propeller.
For 60 years, the Renault 4 has been driven by ordinary people who make it extraordinary. It is a car that symbolises adventure. It’s simple, practical, useful and as modern as it is retro. All drivers will tell you, it allows you to travel differently. That is to say, to live an adventure.
The Air4 led us to 'some kind of traveling different' which also mean the Renault 4 is ready for its greatest adventure yet under the slogan 'Where TheArsenale and Renault are going, They don't need roads'. Today, the Air4 flying car concept will be on display at the Atelier Renault on the Champs Elysées in Paris, France, from November 29, 2021 through the end of the year. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RENAULT | THEARSENALE | MOTOR1 ]
~The Godzilla Ancestor~This is one of the first Japanese-made racing prototypes after the World War 2 ended. The racing car which became known as the Prince (Nissan) R380 was initially developed by Prince Motors, Ltd. before being merged with Nissan Motor Company, and it could be said also, that the car is the ancestor of today's Nissan Skyline GT-R aka 'Godzilla'.
The original Prince (Nissan) R380 A-I with racing livery No.11 driven by Yoshikazu Sunakothat won its first race of the 3rd Japan GP at Fuji Speedway in 1966. (Picture from: Wikipedia)
As mentioned before, this race car was purposely made by Prince Motors following the defeat of its new S54 Skyline GTs powered by a G-7 straight-6 engine at the second Japanese Grand Prix held in 1964 from the Porsche 904 race car. After some major improvements were made, so Prince Motors launched the R380 with increasingly fierce performance, as the result at the third Japanese GP in 1966, the car was able to beat the defending champion Porsche 904.
The original Prince (Nissan) R380 A-I is powered by a mid-mounted 4-valve GR8 DOHC engine, which is a newly engine designed based on the G7 OHC at the time. (Picture from: Wikipedia)
All of that thanks to the Shinichiro Sakurai's magical hands touches, so that the car was so fierce while on the racing circuit. He is a brilliant engineer who initially worked for Prince Motors then moved to Nissan in 1966 (after Prince Motors was mergered with Nissan Motor Company) and is famous for the engineering of the Nissan Skyline generations.
The 1967 Nissan R380 A-II (in pictured as a speed test car) which for the aerodynamic factors has a total of 80 mm more length than the standard ones with body cover made of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP). (Picture from: Pen-Online)
The original R380 racing car bodywork is aluminum-made, and mounted on the steel tubular frame structure similar to the Brabham BT8, and then is powered by a mid-mounted 4-valve GR8 DOHC engine, which is a newly engine designed based on the G7 OHC. Besides being known as the first Japanese racing car to use an aluminum bodywork, the R380 was equipped with double wishbone suspension on all its 4 wheels which was the most advanced technology at that time.
The 1967 Nissan R380 A-II (in pictured as a speed test car) bodywork is aluminum-made, and mounted on the steel tubular frame structure similar to the Brabham BT8. (Picture from: Pen-Online)
Unfortunately, the Japanese Grand Prix in 1965 was postponed, so Prince Motors switched to make a speed record in the Yatabe test track by using those racing car in October. At that time, the prepared Prince R380 A-I was managed to set the best time that surpassed the international record in its fourth attemps. But the car's achievement was remained set to be a domestic record considering that the Yatabe test track had not been officially recognized by the FIA.
The 1967 Nissan R380 A-II (in pictured as a speed test car) has a simple cockpit and functionally laid out of the operating system and instruments. (Picture from: Pen-Online)
This does not necessarily reduce the determination of the Prince Motors's crews to bring their R380 to be a champion. Then, it was like the wish came true, the R380 managed to beat the Porsche 906 and Toyota 2000GT at the third Japan Grand Prix in 1966, not one but two R380s managed to reach the finish line as the 1st and 2nd winner.
The 1967 Nissan R380 A-II (in pictured as a speed test car) featured much needed aerodynamic improvements, utilizing a much lower and sleeker bodystyle copied from rivals Porsche plus the gullwing-style doors which hinged upward. (Picture from: Pen-Online)
The R380 continued to be developed even after Prince Motors merged with Nissan in August 1966, and becoming a Nissan R380 A-II upgraded type in 1967. Although it lost in the race to the Porsche 906 at the Japanese Grand Prix that year, the car tried again to set the speed records. At the time, the Nissan R380 A-II managed to set seven international records at the Yatabe track which have been officially recognized by the FIA.
It doesn't stop there, in addition to the Nissan R380 A-III type with improved engines continue to play an active role in the racing circuit, this Japanese manufacturer continues to develop the R380 racing cars using larger engines, such as the 5.5L on the Nissan R381 variant of the 1968 and then the 6L on the Nissan R382 variant of the 1969 which also brought victory to Nissan. And all of that played out until the Japanese auto company stopped racing under the prototype engines in 1970. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | NISSAN-GLOBAL | PEN-ONLINE | WIKIPEDIA | DRIVETRIBE ]
Let's FLY In modern times like today, efforts to realize the human desire to fly, especially by using a car, are not something extraordinary, because many companies from all over the world have done it. And some time ago we had ever talked about the Aeromobil, a flying car developed by a Slovakian inventor named Stefan Klein.
AirCar, a dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle is developed by a Slovakian company named Klein Vision. (Picture from: BBC)
As reported by CNN, recently there's flying car called the AirCar Prototype 1 has completed its first intercity test flight of the same Slovakian inventor. This future flying car was designed and developed through his company, KleinVision, by using four wheels, propellers and the unique foldable wings with the switchblade-style.
Slovakian company Klein Vision's flying car AirCar Prototype 1 is seen at the airport in Bratislava, Slovakia June 28, 2021. (Picture from: NewYork Post)
Not only that, the Slovakian flying car also has a telescopic tail that allows the car to turn into a 'land jet' in just three minutes. As reported by the New York Post, Stefan Klein, the Slovakian AirCar inventor and CEO of Klein Vision as well, said in the trials the sophisticated flying car was successful in running on two-mode experiment (it can drive on downtown roads after flying).
The AirCar Prototype 1 seen while on the road after its successfully maiden intercity flight test in June 28, 2021. (Picture from: BBC)
Reportedly, the vehicle had carried out 142 flight tests and this time, it traveled as far as (8,200 feet or about 2,500 meters) from the international airport in Nitra to the international airport in Bratislava by total flight time about 35 minutes in the air. The
AirCar uses a 160 hp BMW engine and has a top airspeed of 118 mph. In
the future it will be upgraded to a 300 hp engine which is claimed to be
capable of run up to 186 mph.
Reportedly, in the future the Slovakian company is would be developing a 3-4 seater and amphibious models that can take off or land on the water surfaces. Unfortunately, the pricing has not been announced yet, but the cost of the prototype development was over US$ 2.3 million or around Rp.33 billion.
Considering the high price, in our opinion, it would be better if sophisticated vehicles such as the AirCar were projected to be used as the public transportation facilities that could be accessed by anyone like a taxi is used today. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SORCES | KLEINVISION | CNN | NEWYORK POST | BBC ]
ONE-OFF 'Flying like a bird,' may be one of humanity's longstanding obsessions. And now maybe part of that obsession has been fulfilled with the invention of the airplane. Why only partly, because humans always try to develop it continuously up to a certain point of achievement which is considered to be the most recent or become what it should be. When was that accomplished? No one knows.
Vespa Alpha played a role as the Dick Smart's sophisticated rides in a spy action movie titled 'Dick Smart 2.007' released in 1967. (Picture from: Gensindo)
In the context of the scooter, which we know as a two-wheeled vehicle that experienced its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, has there ever been the creation of a flying scooter, both fictional and reality?
In fiction, this has been illustrated by a well-known Belgian writer named André Franquin in his famous comic strips entitled 'Spirou et Fantasio' which published from 1947 to 1969. Well, in those comic strips he illustrated neatly a yellow-colored flying scooter named Zandajet.
The amazing Zandajet flying scooter model is built based of the André Franquin's comic illustrations and sat on display at the 2006 Exposition Le Monde de Franquin in Brussels. (Picture from: Meinekleinfabrik)
Although this yellow-colored scooter can only fly in comic books, it has actually been brought to the real world in a 1 : 1 scaled model to homage to the author and has been exhibited at the 2006 Exposition Le Monde de Franquin which was held in Brussels.
Vespa Alpha built by Piaggio in collaboration with Alpha Willis, a British company for the shooting purpose of a movie titled 'Dick Smart 2.007' in the 1967 and now sat on display at the Vespa Museum in Tuscany. (Picture from: Gensindo)
In reality, there's an Italian company called Piaggio which is also known as one of the world's scooter pioneers as well as the largest and most successful scooter manufacturer to date turn out has ever made a flying scooter named Vespa Alpha in 1967. As we all know that before producing scooters, this Italian company is a manufacturing company that is familiar with the world of aviation until today.
The Vespa Alpha was built by Piaggio in collaboration with Alpha Willis, a British company for the shooting purpose of a movie titled 'Dick Smart 2.007', starring Richard Wyler, Margaret Lee, Rosanna Tapados in the 1967.
Only in the movie, the Vespa Alpha is described as having extraordinary abilities, not only can it be used to go fast on the highway, fly like a helicopter, it can also function as a submarine. (Picture from: Vespacountry)
The Dick Smart's sophisticated scooter built based of the Vespa 180 Super Sport and powered by 2-stroke single cylinder 180cc engine which in the standard condition is claimed able to run up to top speed of 105kph on the streets.
In the movie, the Vespa Alpha is described as having extraordinary abilities, not only can it be used to go fast on the highway, fly like a helicopter, it can also function as a submarine. The flying scooter's front is resembled like a tilapia fish. Moreover, there is a lamp that looks like a fish's eye and a hole in the muzzle is added as the fish's mouth.
Vespa
Alpha built is built based of Vespa 180 Super Sport and powered by a single cylinder 2-stroke 180 cc engine. (Picture from: Arttrav)
Even though it looks like a helicopter, we believe that the Vespa Alpha cannot fly at all, especially if it is used as a submarine. As mentioned before, it built just for the movie making and furthermore its shape and condition are not proper being a flying vehicle or submarine. Yes, at least the scooter can still be used for speeding on the streets, if you look at the engine specifications.
That's it, and if the article above is still considered inadequate or inaccurate, or if you have additional information related to the Piaggio's Vespa Alpha flying scooters, please don't hesitate to let us know via the comments column below this article.
And the American company itself plans to use Alice's electric plane to serve regional routes from Boston to Nantucket, Marthy's Vineyard, to New Hampshire and New York. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | EVIATION | ]
