Pal-V has secured European approval for road usage of its flying car, the Liberty. Approval followed an extensive drive test program conducted since February that included high-speed ovals, brake and emission tests, and noise-pollution testing, the Dutch company said.
Meanwhile, Pal-V is continuing to work toward European Union Aviation Safety Agency approval for the Liberty to be operated in flight mode under Part 27 rules covering rotorcraft. The company says it hopes to achieve this before the end of 2022, having worked for some time on testing an earlier Pal-V One model.
CTO Mike Stekelenburg conceded that Pal-V faced the challenge of ensuring that what he called a “folded aircraft” would pass all road admissions tests. “For me, the trick in successfully making a flying car is to ensure that the design complies with both air and road regulations,” he commented.
In an October 28 announcement, he said the approval is the culmination of flight and drive tests of Pal-V prototypes that have been ongoing since 2012. “With the memories in mind of fly and drive testing our proof of concept, the Pal-V One, I was really looking forward to testing the Liberty," Stekelenburg said. "We have been cooperating with the road authorities for many years to reach this milestone."
Hans Joore, a Pal-V test-driver, likened driving the Liberty to driving a sportscar. “It is very smooth and responsive to the steering and with a weight of just 660 kg [1,455 pounds] it accelerates really well,” Joore said.
With this milestone achieved, focus is turning to endurance testing of the vehicle in the coming months, the company said.
In the meantime, reservations for the vehicle are surpassing expectations, Pal-V reported, noting the Liberty is spurring interest in the aviation sector. Some 80 percent of the future operators are new to aviation, the company said, adding that some of these prospective buyers have started training toward a gyroplane flying license at the Pal-V FlyDrive Academy.
With a 30-minute fuel reserve, the Pal-V will be able to carry two people on flights of up to 400 km (250 miles) and at speeds of up to around 160 km/h (100 mph). The vehicle will need around 590 feet of road or other flat surfaces to take off.
