Almost since man began flying in airplanes, there has been talk
about flying cars.
Almost since man began flying in airplanes, there has been talk about flying cars. During the last century plans were drawn up, prototypes attempted and promises made that flying cars would one day be as common as the on-the-ground variety.
Though the dreams have yet to turn into reality, there are still companies working on designing flying vehicles to fit our everyday lives.
A company in Israel, Urban Aeronautics, is working on a flying vehicle not necessarily for personal use but with commercial and government transport in mind. One machine, the X-Hawk, could go where helicopters can’t. For example, imagine a damaged high-rise building with people trying to escape through windows. Helicopters can’t get close enough, but the X-Hawk is designed in such a way it would be able to go in tight, hard-to-reach places. These vehicles could also be used for security patrol, rescues in rugged terrain and more.
There might be a reason flying cars haven’t gotten off the ground. Life for parents of teenagers is hard enough when the kids hit 16 and get their driver’s license. Imagine those same teens behind the wheel of a personal flying machine. It’s a terrifying thought.
No longer would law enforcement worry about drag races on the ground, they’d have to patrol the night skies too. Teenagers have always been able to find plenty of places to park and “stargaze,” but not having to stick to driving on roads, whole new worlds would be opened to this long-time tradition.
Then there is the inexperience teens bring with them when driving. An unskilled teen might reach for the radio and hit the “airborne” button instead, or inserting a CD might mean a plummet to earth at roller-coaster speeds.
But it’s not fair to say teenagers would have a monopoly on making flying vehicles unsafe for fellow drivers. Anyone who’s ever gotten behind a nervous elderly driver shudders at the thought of the maneuvers they may make. Worse yet, imagine cell phone users behind the wheel of a flying vehicle. As they’re closing that business deal, chatting with a friend or learning what the spouse wants them to pick up for dinner that night, they may force several different vehicles to take evasive action, both on the ground and in the air.
Not all worries of flying vehicles are with the driver. It’s bad enough when a vehicle breaks down on the ground. What type of protection could manufactures offer if a vehicle breaks down in mid-flight? Perhaps they would install outside airbags which would be inflated before impact. Maybe parachutes would come standard with the vehicle. And, just as important, how would people on the ground be protected from falling cars?
With flying cars, the Department of Motor Vehicles would have to come up with a whole new set of rules. Which car backs up or down the hill when two vehicles meet on a single-lane road would no longer be the toughest question on the test. How to merge from the ground into the lanes of a skyway might be more prevalent.
Then there are the logistics of flying cars. On the ground we have roads to follow and traffic lights to guide the flow of cars. Would air traffic lanes become the norm? Rush-hour traffic could take on a new meaning too. I can just imagine impatient lane-changers darting back and forth from ground to air, then back to ground again, still not really gaining time in the long run.
On the plus side, personal flying vehicles would open up new careers in law enforcement. There would be the need for people monitoring roadways and airways at all times.
Hollywood would have a great time with personal flying cars. Chase scenes in action movies could be greatly expanded. And those who create the wonderful gadgets in James Bond movies would have a blast.
Who knows? Flying cars may soon grace our driveways. When they do, our daily lives are bound to change.
