Flying cars use in Ireland

josip

Could a flying car in Ireland legally use the roads to land and takeoff or would they have to use airfields?

https://newatlas.com/production-version-pal-v-liberty-flying-car/53724/

TheBoyConor

Right. So it's basically a gyrocopter with a very basic road-going capability.

It would have to satisfy all of the regulatory requirements of both the RTA and the IAA.

Good luck getting insurance on this type of novelty vehicle.

Capt'n Midnight

It's too heavy for a microlight


https://www.iaa.ie/personnel-licensing/pilot-licences-(eu-regulations)/private-pilot-licence/gyroplane-pilot-licensing-requirements

Under the Irish Aviation Authority (Personnel Licensing) Orders, a pilot of a gyroplane is required to hold a Private Pilot Licence (Gyroplane) (PPL(G)). A person learning to fly a gyroplane must hold a Student Pilot Licence (abbreviated "SPL") before flying the gyroplane alone ("solo" flying) and he/she may only fly solo when authorised by an appropriately licensed Flight Instructor (see below).

Technology has caught up as they are testing autonomous drone taxis in Dubai.

Manic Moran

TheBoyConor wrote: »

Right. So it's basically a gyrocopter with a very basic road-going capability.

It would have to satisfy all of the regulatory requirements of both the RTA and the IAA.

Good luck getting insurance on this type of novelty vehicle.

As a US pilot, I can't think of any specific prohibition on the use of roadways to take off or land beyond the generic "acting safely". Then again, the prevalence of regional airfields around here is such that I can't think of any particular reason why it would be necessary on the public road.

However, yes, it does have to meet the requirements of both a road-going and air-worthy vehicle. It's why not many have been made. There are two schools of thought on design, the traditional one is fixed-wing, such as this Aerocar of the 1950s.

I seem to recall it requires 22 different certifications and inspections to be legal.

The catch with this one is that you need to dismount the wings and tail and turn it into a trailer to tow behind you.

A more modern take is the Terrafugia, which uses folding wings
and is a lot simpler.

The alternative, such as the gyrocopter, is vertical landing. In which case you don't really need a public road, a parking lot or dry field will do nicely. A large-blade gyrocopter is a little unreasonable, or Terrafucia's TF-X, I think, due to the safety risks, but a few design use multiple ducted blades. As aerodynamics are somewhat less critical in these designs, it makes it easier to meet crashworthiness requirements.

It goes without saying that you need both a pilot's license and a driver's license to operate the vehicles completely. But plenty of people have both, over a half-million of us here in the US.

hi5

Perfectly legal:D

Del2005

josip wrote: »

Could a flying car in Ireland legally use the roads to land and takeoff or would they have to use airfields?

https://newatlas.com/production-version-pal-v-liberty-flying-car/53724/

I was watching it on the BBC and they said that it needs to use a runway to take off and land as it's a plane. Roads are not for aircraft, unless it's the strategic roads in the USA and Scandinavia for their military.

Onymlifestyle

hi5 wrote: »

Perfectly legal:D

hahaha +1

TheBoyConor

Another thing I see as being an obstacle is that all cars sold new in Europe must meet minimum road safety requirements, pedestrian & occupant safety etc. I'd imagine the likes of the gyrocopter here would not meet those minimum standards. I can't see those fixed rear stabilisers performing too well in a pedestrian collision test, nor can I see it performing well in any NCAP test to be honest.

As MM says above, they are radically different applications and its simply not practical or useful to make such a vehicle.
That is why they are, and will remain, novelty items.

The fact that they will only build 90 of the means that being curiosities in someone's rich dudes man-toy shed or hangar because being a hybrid, it is optimised for neither application.

redcup342

You need to file a flight plan in Europe to fly

In the US you don't, it's optional.

Onymlifestyle

Flying cars = goodbay bag checks on ryanair flights ALL BAGS FOR FREE

Bruthal

josip wrote: »

Could a flying car in Ireland legally use the roads to land and takeoff or would they have to use airfields?

The new way of overtaking.

deandean

You'd be 10+ years in Ireland trying to get type approval and the paperwork.

Better to not bother with the car at all