DeeCee57 wrote:
but more about the future and viability of eVTOLs. And those could well spell the end of light GA as we know it.
Why? The vast majority of pilots in light GA in Europe fly because they want to fly. It might be completely shocking, but since the invention of the motor vehicle, a small airplane is economically not the best way to get a 100$ Burger (well, these days more a 300$ coffee…). The emergence of autonomous flying machines doesn’t change anything to the attitude of those who simply like flying.
The use cases of light GA that are purely driven by a ridgid business decision are extremely small – and those are the only part of light GA that might be affected by autonomous flying machines. Yes, it might well be that for bringing urgent goods on an island in the North Sea there will be no longer Cessnas in the not so distant future. But that does not spell the end of light GA.
We already have a buzzing industry of VTOLs – commonly referred to as “helicopters” – and in this segment the innovation of using electric small rotor helicopters in stead of fossil fuel large rotor helicopters will shift some market. But again more like any product innovation rather than “spelling the end” on anything.
And we might also see soon that for special purpose flights – e.g. bringing goods to oil rigs – there will be more pilot less aircraft.
For all others, the basic situation has not changed at all: There are so many good reasons why people are typically not flying from their home to their workplace every day – the cost of helicopter-pilots or the environmental impact of fossil fuel helps are not amongst them
chflyer wrote:
Not for technical reasons but for purely freedom of flight reasons, both personal and business.
Of course, for 0.01% of the population 
LeSving wrote:
They certainly can be used for transportation, but will not be the first or second or third choice for pure transportation purposes for 99.99% of the population.
Perhaps outside the US, but the use of private aircraft for transportation in the US is so widespread that it will be a very long time before it disappears. Not for technical reasons but for purely freedom of flight reasons, both personal and business.
UdoR wrote:
I stopped listen to apocalyptic arguments. There will be AVGAS. There will be GA. Maybe even more of it, who knows. But there are so many brilliant people loving to aviate, that there’s no way anyone can make me believe that GA will cease in the next 30 years.
I think GA in many ways still live in the 1950s and 60s when it was believed that private aircraft some day (soon) would replace cars. That is obviously not going to happen anytime soon, but small electric (semi) autonomous “flying cars” (drone-like vehicles) may in fact be something. Private GA as such with a pilot etc. will move more and more towards recreational/hobby and sport exclusively. They will be as relevant as transportation vehicles as MC, boats, canoes They certainly can be used for transportation, but will not be the first or second or third choice for pure transportation purposes for 99.99% of the population.
DeeCee57 wrote:
And those could well spell the end of light GA as we know it.
I stopped listen to apocalyptic arguments. There will be AVGAS. There will be GA. Maybe even more of it, who knows. But there are so many brilliant people loving to aviate, that there’s no way anyone can make me believe that GA will cease in the next 30 years.
Quite interesting interview, and a worrying aspect of the future… for us pilots (pilot: /ˈpʌɪlət/, noun, 1. a person who operates the flying controls of an aircraft.)
The video is not about e-aircraft such as a Pipistrel (what a ridiculous name…), but more about the future and viability of eVTOLs. And those could well spell the end of light GA as we know it. And pilots…
Electric aircraft will be great for flight training and some club flying where you only need 1-1,5 hrs of flight time.
I hope they will succeed commercially as well but I won’t hold my breath.
They do mention Pipistrel are selling well. It is most of the others which don’t stand up to analysis.
Well, Pipistrel are selling electric aircraft like there is no tomorrow. Haven’t watched the video (yet anyway), but the power density sets its limitations.
My impression was that the journalist hasn’t seen or knew much about any of the projects other than Joby. Though he did mention briefly that he’d been in a Pipistrelle.
But he really didn’t seem to know much about anything beyond Joby. That of course could be because there isn’t much to know and the rest are vapour ware.
