Beautiful, nice and colorful: I, however, would not feel very comfortable aboard these flying cabs
At this year's Farnborough fair I expected to see many more warplanes, missiles and new technologies and [...]
At this year's Farnborough Fair. I expected to see many more warplanes, missiles and new technologies and instead it was the year of flying cabs, with and without drivers, but strictly electric.
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As we have recounted in other articles this is the most important aviation fair in the world and takes place in even-numbered years in London and in odd-numbered years in Paris.
Of course there are other events in Singapore and Dubai, but they do not have this importance. That is why I expected to see a lot more military "stuff," because it is the technologies that drive technological evolution, and instead, as if out of modesty, they were there but almost hidden, as if one did not want to disturb the woke world and social balance sheet appearance that distinguishes these years.
Of course the military (and ministers) were there and business was concluded, but not in the spotlight.
What was present in a big way, however, were. The means of transportation that should allow us more sustainable and faster mobility. Airports are getting Challenging with the openings of "vertiports" ready to welcome passengers, a way to simplify and speed up departure, arrival or transit.
Today in some markets such as New York or Nice on the French Riviera. it is normal to see Blade helicopters flying nonstop to allow passengers to arrive at their destination in less than 10 minutes aboard a helicopter, tomorrow according to many we will do it aboard these aircraft.
With or without a pilot (but definitely will be without)
There were prototypes at the fair, some that have even flown already, some that are still dummies with lights, but it is clear that to make these operations sustainable operators will have to dispose of one thing: "the pilot". It is not just a matter of weight, but mostly a matter of cost. A pilot costs you, and not a little, no matter if you pay him by landing or by the day, this will be the highest cost to those who will provide this service, and to eliminate it would mean being able to sell the ticket at lower figures.
So Wisk is definitely the one furthest along in development since its flying cab does not include a pilot's seat and the 4 passengers who will sit on board will be remotely guided, little matter if it is from 5 or 5,000 km away.
Among the many manufacturers and start-ups present at Farnborough Wisk was the only one to take a chance and put 4 chairs, with 4k screens for passengers.
Others like Joby still have the cockpit and the place for a taxi driver of the skies.
Leaving Lilium out of the tussle, which instead pitches itself as a jet at 100%, other manufacturers present at the show with prototypes, mockups and cabin "pieces" also have the same idea: to move passengers from A to B, in the middle of buildings, over the sea or via highways of the skies.
The helicopter is not for everyone
Of course, the early years, these services will be 100% for business people and people used to traveling, but even in this narrow niche, it is not necessarily the case that everyone has already taken a helicopter, let alone is likely to have done so in less than perfect weather situations.
Wind and rain are enemies of a helicopter, let alone a drone. In the videos on the mega-screens we see perfectly balanced flights, without the slightest jolting typical of these machines. In everyday life, however, things are never so smooth, and on these structures it will be even "worse" since they will be profoundly more sensitive to currents, such as gusts between skyscrapers in New York or London.
But where do you put the luggage
Those shown in southwest London were vehicles that have already made more than one flight, other products in advanced stages of development, and even to an inexperienced Immediately jumps out at you the total absence of cargo space. Sure Ryanair has accustomed us to traveling with a few pounds of backpack, but business travelers have a minimum of a trolley, a backpack, and probably a garment bag. Blade, which operates dozens of flights every day allows passengers 7kg of baggage, otherwise suitcases beyond this threshold travel by car to the airport.
Here is all these beautiful prototypes have little trunk space, certainly not enough to carry passenger trolleys, let alone "hold" suitcases. Not to mention that the more weight, the less battery life.
Because it is still too early to trust
Of course technology is making great strides, but To think that these things will fly over our heads with passengers on board doesn't make me very comfortable, much less the idea of traveling in them. In the past few days the world has been paralyzed by an update to a firmware, let alone with dozens of these things shuttling between Colosseum and Fiumicino.
The baggage problem then is a fact, if I'm in a hurry, I don't want to be waiting for "the forklift" to arrive with suitcases, much less do I want to "vomit" my soul because turbulence makes me go up and down. Here for these reasons I still see it difficult to arrive in the civilized world and rights (maybe in Dubai they will pop up tomorrow morning) even less likely for the passenger to travel with only his wallet and first class beauty kit.
