Helicopter – Jet Car

music
ambience: Tiltrotor Airplane mode flyby, Tiltrotor Airplane mode fly over

Highways in the sky might seem like the stuff of science fiction, but their advent may be closer than you think. I’m Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet. William Warmbrodt, Chief of the Aeromechanics Branch at Ames Research Center, says that as helicopter technology improves, personal air vehicles could become a normal part of daily life.

“The science fiction of vertical-lift aircraft of the 50s was that everyone would have a rotary-wing vehicle replacing their automobile and operating from their home. That day has not come, and yet, we continue to pursue the technologies that some day may just make that a possibility. In particular, today’s developments of rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle platforms, is allowing us to develop the technologies that would allow for safe operation of vertical-lift aircraft flying in our airspace system without endangering other aircraft or the people or public on the ground. Helicopters with single main rotor configuration generate a significant amount of noise. They also have exposed rotor blades that are spinning in the air. There is a genuine possibility that the personal air vehicle of the future will look more like the George Jetson’s jet car, where we are in fact relying on other types of lift and propulsion devices that provide greater protection to the pilot and the community, but also reduce the noise generated by the vehicle and are more environmentally-friendly.”

Please check out our website at pulseplanet.com. Pulse of the Planet is made possible by the National Science Foundation, with additional support from NASA. I’m Jim Metzner.

Helicopter - Jet Car

Late for work? No problem! Just hop in your personal helicopter!
Air Date:10/10/2007
Scientist:
Transcript:

music
ambience: Tiltrotor Airplane mode flyby, Tiltrotor Airplane mode fly over

Highways in the sky might seem like the stuff of science fiction, but their advent may be closer than you think. I’m Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet. William Warmbrodt, Chief of the Aeromechanics Branch at Ames Research Center, says that as helicopter technology improves, personal air vehicles could become a normal part of daily life.

“The science fiction of vertical-lift aircraft of the 50s was that everyone would have a rotary-wing vehicle replacing their automobile and operating from their home. That day has not come, and yet, we continue to pursue the technologies that some day may just make that a possibility. In particular, today's developments of rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle platforms, is allowing us to develop the technologies that would allow for safe operation of vertical-lift aircraft flying in our airspace system without endangering other aircraft or the people or public on the ground. Helicopters with single main rotor configuration generate a significant amount of noise. They also have exposed rotor blades that are spinning in the air. There is a genuine possibility that the personal air vehicle of the future will look more like the George Jetson's jet car, where we are in fact relying on other types of lift and propulsion devices that provide greater protection to the pilot and the community, but also reduce the noise generated by the vehicle and are more environmentally-friendly.”

Please check out our website at pulseplanet.com. Pulse of the Planet is made possible by the National Science Foundation, with additional support from NASA. I’m Jim Metzner.