PAL-V

The Pal-V Liberty is a cross between a helicopter and a car. The Liberty is made by Dutch company Pal-V, which was founded in 2008. As September 2018, the company became one of the first to begin taking pre-orders. The aircraft will be available for anyone with a pilots license for about 400k USD.

Aircraft Type: Wingless, Roadable VTOL

Powerplant: Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)

Range: See Below

Top Speed: See Below

Propeller Configuration: Traditional Gyrocopter

Passenger/Payload Capacity: 2 Passengers

Autonomy Level: Piloted

Dimensions: Drive-mode: 4m L x 2m W x 1.7m H; Flight-mode: (Rotor diameter is 10.75m) 6.1m L x 2m W x 3.2m H

Other Information: 

Maximum baggage load: 20 kg

Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW): 910 kg

Fuel type: Euro 95, Euro 98, E10 *

Fuel capacity: 100 l

* Unleaded automotive fuel, with max. 10% ethanol (E10), EN 228 specification, min RON 95 (min AKI 91)

Drive mode

Max Speed: 160 km/h
Top speed acceleration: (0-100 km/h)<9 seconds
Engine power: 100 hp
Fuel economy: 7.6 l/100km
Range: 1315 km

Flight Mode

Economic cruise speed: 140 km/h
High cruise speed (90% range): 160 km/h
Maximum speed: 180 km/h
Min speed for level flight: 50 km/h
Engine power: 200 hp
Maximum operating altitude: 3500m
Useful load: 246 kg
Landing roll distance: 30m
Fuel economy: 26 l/h
Take-off roll (MTOW, MSL): 180m
Take-off distance + 15m obstacle clearance, MTOW**, MSL***: 330m
Max Range (with ½ hour reserve fuel*, MTOW): 400 km
Max Range (with ½ hour reserve fuel, single person operation, MSL): 500 km

The PAL-V is very successful in that it is one of the first commercially available flying cars, however its design is not a radical departure from the more traditional gyrocopters that have been flying for decades. The engineering design skill for the PAL-V is exhibited by the folding component design of the product, featuring a rear facing propellor driving the vehicle forward and the free-spinning blade on top of the craft which provide inertial lift as the PAL-V accelerates to forward flight. PAL-V's greatest success is the successful completion of the design process (pending complete certification) and bringing their product to market. As of June 2018, the company was taking deposits for it's PAL-V craft - $25,000 for the option to purchase the Liberty Edition, PAL-V's flagship completely optioned, and $10,000 for the option to purchase a Sport model with fewer available options.