PDX traffic sucks just about all the time. From about 6am to 7pm or later, the freeways are jammed with cars that barely move.
I often joke saying that I will buy a helicopter to avoid the mess. I'm not really serious about getting a chopper, but today I Googled "cheapest personal helicopter" and found this; the
Afalina.
There doesn't seem to be a working prototype yet, but it's a 2-seater coaxial helicopter. From the website:
Quote:
The coaxial positioning of rotors used in Afalina ensures that the aircraft is easier to pilot, more silent and more resistant to lateral wind gusts.
HeliWhale said that the patented new control system of coaxial rotors also provides the helicopter with high velocity of up to 250 kilometers per hour at max speed.
The aircraft, weighing 270 kilograms, is capable of carrying a payload of another 180 kilograms, the company said.
Afalina can also be refueled with conventional 95 octane car fuel, with the consumption between 12 and 16 liters (3 to 4 gallons) per hour.
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Is the tail even necessary when there is no rotor attached to it? Are coaxials fuel efficient? I'm assuming there is no swash plate, and therefore no way to auto-rotate if the engine fails. Is climb controlled by head RPM and therefore engine RPM?
I have lots of questions and don't know much about helicopters. If I could get into helicopters for $120k plus certification, maybe it's in my distant future.
