Aircar
Well-Known Member
On this most tragic anniversary -10 years since the destruction of the New York twin towers and the loss of three thousand lives --the civilized world remembers this most stunning abuse of the potential danger posed by flying machines . All freedom loving people everywhere share in the sadness and offer their feelings of condolence and support to America;- and hope that nothing like this ever happens again .
But, beyond this anniversary, there is still the ongoing threat and fear in the public mind, of death raining from the sky in the form of (civilian) aircraft being used as a weapon , perceived with so much more force and clarity as a result of the images from 9/11.
The world has changed in many ways as a result of the attacks then -- mainly in terms of much more stringent passenger screening at airports and somewhat intrusive scanning but from the viewpoint of the small private aircraft there has come a greater suspicion and potentially more restrictive operational procedures ( the blanket grounding of all aircraft after 9/11 showed just how seriously the potential threat from even small planes was taken --if I recall rightly some planes were left stranded for months and prohibited from flying back to their homebase )
I see in this new scenario a huge threat to the possibility of future everyday commutting by small air vehicles as envisaged by the NASA SATS (Small Aircraft Transport System ) and the current European Union Mycopter --personal aircraft as an alternative and adjunct to ease road congestion.
In short -- the "fallout" from 9/11 could pose a threat to the future that was forseen for the 21st century where Flying Cars are able to zip about hither and thither carrying people to and from work or school --just like "the Jetsons" from 1962 or innumerable science fiction films that portrayed a bright shiny future for this timeframe .
(neither is it just science fiction that awaits the flying car --Burt Rutan and Bruce Holmes from NASA conducted a series of talks at Oshkosh titled "life after airliners" and Bruce conducted many forums and technical presentations on the SATS and AGATE programs from NASA --unapologetically promoting the concept of door to door airtaxis and a mass market in individual flying machines --Dennis Bushnell estimated a $1 trillion market for such vehicles --surely what we need right now for an economic stimulus ... Isaac Asimov pictured the 'new world' knitted together by personal air vehicles as a means of fostering international harmony and the technology to safely operate such things in terms of GPS and incredible computer power , new materials and so on --in short we stand on the threshold of a real breakthrough for the betterment of man by 'taking to the air' in much the way that cars left horses behind as the 'next step' BUT we have the shadow of 9/11 casting a dark pall over it.
My question in starting this thread is; -- WHAT can we do to eliminate the threat of misuse of small aircraft (and flying cars) so that we can enjoy the benefits of such new technology and assure the public that they are safe ? (both as users of the service or owners but simply as the people under the flight path ) If we can't satisfy the public that they are in no more danger because of the operation of small air vehicles than they were before then this alone might curtail any realization of dreams of rapid air commuting -- no "back to the future' or Star Wars flying traffic as part of the background fabric of the city --no end to traffic jams and congestion either most likely. Much is at stake.
There are many intelligent, experienced and highly trained people (on these forums and elsewhere) who could contribute new ideas and concepts to address the risk of both the usual technical issues of reliability and safe flying behaviour in such vehicles and piloting but additionally to anticipate the deliberate abuse of such vehicles for terrorism --the revival of the Kamikaze or 9/11 threat (or some other misuse scenario )
I feel it is the "elephant in the room" for any future using small air vehicles in and around urban areas and is best confronted before any actual (non trivial) eventuation and designed out --like any other factor in aviation safety . (not to say that the 9/11 scenario was NOT forseen and could have been prevented had the warnings been heeded -- in "Soldiers of God" (Sphere books ISBN 0 747400636 Published 1991 ) the author Barnaby Williams wrote exactly the 'script' for Osama bin Laden tp plan 9/11 -- including the follow on involving using crop dusters to spread bio agents. the inside cover carries a 'teaser' that reads "I approached Central Park from the south, wings perfectly level ,nose slightly down. It was losing height.
(end and send here --continue )
But, beyond this anniversary, there is still the ongoing threat and fear in the public mind, of death raining from the sky in the form of (civilian) aircraft being used as a weapon , perceived with so much more force and clarity as a result of the images from 9/11.
The world has changed in many ways as a result of the attacks then -- mainly in terms of much more stringent passenger screening at airports and somewhat intrusive scanning but from the viewpoint of the small private aircraft there has come a greater suspicion and potentially more restrictive operational procedures ( the blanket grounding of all aircraft after 9/11 showed just how seriously the potential threat from even small planes was taken --if I recall rightly some planes were left stranded for months and prohibited from flying back to their homebase )
I see in this new scenario a huge threat to the possibility of future everyday commutting by small air vehicles as envisaged by the NASA SATS (Small Aircraft Transport System ) and the current European Union Mycopter --personal aircraft as an alternative and adjunct to ease road congestion.
In short -- the "fallout" from 9/11 could pose a threat to the future that was forseen for the 21st century where Flying Cars are able to zip about hither and thither carrying people to and from work or school --just like "the Jetsons" from 1962 or innumerable science fiction films that portrayed a bright shiny future for this timeframe .
(neither is it just science fiction that awaits the flying car --Burt Rutan and Bruce Holmes from NASA conducted a series of talks at Oshkosh titled "life after airliners" and Bruce conducted many forums and technical presentations on the SATS and AGATE programs from NASA --unapologetically promoting the concept of door to door airtaxis and a mass market in individual flying machines --Dennis Bushnell estimated a $1 trillion market for such vehicles --surely what we need right now for an economic stimulus ... Isaac Asimov pictured the 'new world' knitted together by personal air vehicles as a means of fostering international harmony and the technology to safely operate such things in terms of GPS and incredible computer power , new materials and so on --in short we stand on the threshold of a real breakthrough for the betterment of man by 'taking to the air' in much the way that cars left horses behind as the 'next step' BUT we have the shadow of 9/11 casting a dark pall over it.
My question in starting this thread is; -- WHAT can we do to eliminate the threat of misuse of small aircraft (and flying cars) so that we can enjoy the benefits of such new technology and assure the public that they are safe ? (both as users of the service or owners but simply as the people under the flight path ) If we can't satisfy the public that they are in no more danger because of the operation of small air vehicles than they were before then this alone might curtail any realization of dreams of rapid air commuting -- no "back to the future' or Star Wars flying traffic as part of the background fabric of the city --no end to traffic jams and congestion either most likely. Much is at stake.
There are many intelligent, experienced and highly trained people (on these forums and elsewhere) who could contribute new ideas and concepts to address the risk of both the usual technical issues of reliability and safe flying behaviour in such vehicles and piloting but additionally to anticipate the deliberate abuse of such vehicles for terrorism --the revival of the Kamikaze or 9/11 threat (or some other misuse scenario )
I feel it is the "elephant in the room" for any future using small air vehicles in and around urban areas and is best confronted before any actual (non trivial) eventuation and designed out --like any other factor in aviation safety . (not to say that the 9/11 scenario was NOT forseen and could have been prevented had the warnings been heeded -- in "Soldiers of God" (Sphere books ISBN 0 747400636 Published 1991 ) the author Barnaby Williams wrote exactly the 'script' for Osama bin Laden tp plan 9/11 -- including the follow on involving using crop dusters to spread bio agents. the inside cover carries a 'teaser' that reads "I approached Central Park from the south, wings perfectly level ,nose slightly down. It was losing height.
(end and send here --continue )
