The AIR ONE from Israeli company Air EV is a fixed-wing electric aircraft designed to fit two people…
No matter how much you curse Google Maps, not even the quickest supercar can get you out of heavy traffic and into the office on time. So what about a sportscar that flies? The ‘Air One’ from Israel start-up Air EV, may just be the solution, a two person Evtol (electric takeoff and landing aircraft) designed for personal recreation. Unlike a private jet, renting hangar space would not be an issue, as it has collapsible wings and fits in your home garage.
Not only do you get sportscar performance with the maneuverability of a plane, a full charge is possible within an hour. With 575 kW, Air One will have a flight time of one hour (or 177 km), a cruising speed of 161 km/h, and a top speed of 250 km/h. Max payload (including luggage) is 200 kg, so you and your passenger may have to work on losing any extra pounds, if needed. While it’s a winged design, the propeller is not mounted behind the engine; instead it is propelled by eight rotors located on two front and rear pods. The wings have a rearward tilt, so they level out when the Air One tilts forward to achieve forward motion – producing lift that takes much needed workload off the propellers.
The cabin is easily accessed by an extra large fighter jet-style bubble glass canopy, and there’s also a glass panel in the floor which gives a unique view of your feet and the earth below.
Thanks to the ‘fly by intent’ control system onboard, piloting is as accessible as ever, meaning either occupant can take over thanks to dual controls. You’ll still need a license to play pilot though – and to keep things in check, an AI monitoring system will perform frequent inspections to make sure all is safe and you’re not flying too high.
The Air One joins the Urban Evtol Leo and the Tetra MK5 as aircraft designed and built for personal use, rather than being an air Uber service. Currently, the company is testing full scale prototypes and predicts the market models to become commercially available in 2024. There is still red tape and pesky certification to get through before production gets the green light, but for now you can pre-order a One through the company’s website – and keep sending emails to your local Council.
By Bill Varetimidis
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