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Wonder which local authority to approve if someone were to bring in to Singapore, LTA or CAAS? https://www.msn.com/en-xl/travel/other/chinese-flying-taxi-maker-ehang-sells-autonomous-passenger-drone-for-us-332000-on-taobao-as-nation-s-low-altitude-economy-takes-off/ar-BB1k9Kkg Chinese flying taxi maker EHang sells autonomous passenger drone for US$332,000 on Taobao as nation’s low-altitude economy takes off EHang's EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle will be available in overseas markets at a suggested price of US$410,000 from April 1 The EH216-S, which was first announced in February 2018, has reportedly completed over 42,000 successful test flights in more than 14 countries Chinese flying taxi maker EHang is selling its EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle on Alibaba Group Holding's Taobao marketplace, weeks before the Nasdaq-listed company makes the autonomous passenger-carrying aircraft available in overseas markets. Based in Guangzhou, capital of southern Guangdong province, EHang has put its EH216-S for sale at a unit price of 2.39 million yuan (US$332,000) on e-commerce giant Alibaba's primary domestic retail platform. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. In February, EHang announced that the EH216-S would be sold at a suggested retail price of US$410,000 outside the mainland from April 1. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The ambitious domestic and international marketing campaigns show EHang's confidence in generating strong market demand, months after its self-developed EH216-S became the world's first recipient of a Type Certificate and Standard Airworthiness Certificate for pilotless eVTOLs. Those certifications were issued last October and December, respectively, by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). "This significant achievement has had a profound impact on our business, as it has sparked a surge in demand for our remarkable EH216-S," EHang founder, chairman and chief executive Hu Huazhi said last Friday, when the company released its latest financial results. "The market response has been overwhelmingly positive, leading to strong quarterly and yearly revenue growth." EHang reported fourth-quarter revenue of 56.6 million yuan, a 260.9 per cent jump from 15.7 million yuan in the same period in 2022, on the back of an increase in orders for its EH216-series products. Total 2023 revenue reached 117.4 million yuan, up 165 per cent from 44.3 million yuan the previous year. Sales and deliveries of the company's EH216-series products totalled 52 units last year, compared with 21 in 2022. Multiple EH216-S aircraft built by EHang are seen parked at a vertiport - an area that supports the landing and take-off of these types of passenger vehicles - in Guangzhou, capital of southern Guangdong province. Photo: Handout© Provided by South China Morning Post After completing aircraft certification, EHang conducted EH216-S production under the supervision of CAAC representatives at the company's factory in Yunfu, a city in Guangdong. The firm began deliveries of certified aircraft to customers in the December quarter. EHang did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company's shares were up 4.71 per cent to US$16.23 in pre-market trading on Tuesday. The EH216-S, which was first announced in February 2018, has reportedly completed over 42,000 successful test flights in more than 14 countries. The two-passenger aircraft has a top speed of 130-kilometres per hour, a cruising speed of 100km/h and a maximum altitude of 3,000 metres. It has a range of 30km and a flight time of 25 minutes. It is built with 16 propellers, recharges its batteries in 120 minutes and provides a maximum payload of 220 kilograms. The luggage boot can accommodate an 18-inch suitcase to satisfy general commuting and short-distance travel requirements. EHang's EH216-S electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle is seen on display at the 2023 Indonesia International Motor Show held in Jakarta on February 23, 2023. Photo: Shutterstock The autonomous flight capabilities, fully electric propulsion, comprehensive redundancy safety features, and intelligent command-and-control systems of the EH216-S make it an ideal solution for various urban air mobility (UAM) applications, including air taxi services, aerial tourism, airport shuttles and cross-island transport, according to EHang. The company earlier this month forged a UAM cooperation pact with the municipal government of Wuxi, a city in eastern Jiangsu province, covering an order of 100 EH216-S units. Last October, EHang entered into a strategic cooperation deal with the municipal government of Hefei, a city in eastern Anhui province, for joint development of a low-altitude economy ecosystem, with US$100 million in extended support that can be used to facilitate a minimum order of 100 EH216-series products. The low-altitude economy, which is expected to be driven by the wide adoption of aircraft like eVTOLs and pilotless aerial vehicles, was identified as one of the national strategic emerging industries during the Central Economic Work Conference held in Beijing in December. About 20 provinces across the country have prioritised the development of the low-altitude economy this year, according to EHang. That is expected to contribute between 3 trillion yuan and 5 trillion yuan to China's economy by 2025, according to a white paper published last year by the International Digital Economy Academy in Shenzhen. More Articles from SCMP

Travellers flying out of Changi Airport to pay higher fees, charges from Nov 1 https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/travellers-flying-out-of-changi-airport-to-pay-higher-fees-and-charges-from-nov-1 15 Sep 2022 10:00 PM SINGAPORE - Passengers flying out of Changi Airport will have to pay more in airport charges from Nov 1, as international air travel continues to recover from the effects of Covid-19. Passengers on flights originating from Changi Airport currently pay a departure fee of $52.30, comprising a $35.40 passenger service and security fee collected by Changi Airport Group (CAG), as well as a $6.10 aviation levy and a $10.80 airport development levy collected by the Government. With the fee hike announced on Thursday, the total departure fee will go up by $6.90 to $59.20 from Nov 1, and subsequently increase by $3 to $62.20 from April 2023 and by another $3 to $65.20 from April 2024. Passengers whose air tickets are issued before Nov 1 will not pay the higher fees and levies, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and CAG in a joint statement. There will be no change to the departure fee for transit passengers, who will continue to pay $9 in airport charges for each flight. Meanwhile, airlines will also have to pay more in aircraft parking and landing fees, CAAS and CAG added. The statement said the fees and levies charged will fund CAG's operations, the upgrading of terminals and its future development plans. The charges will also go towards the air hub development and regulatory functions of CAAS – such spending is expected to grow as CAAS works to rebuild Singapore’s position as a global air hub post-pandemic, the statement said. Work on the upcoming Changi Airport Terminal 5 has restarted after a two-year pause brought on by Covid-19, with the mega-terminal expected to serve 50 million passengers a year when completed in the mid-2030s – more than T1 and T3 put together. Airport charges at Changi were last revised in 2018. At that time, CAG said its passenger service and security fee would increase by $2.50 a year until 2024, which meant that the fee should have gone up from $35.40 in 2020 to $37.90 last year and $40.40 earlier this year. But the authorities held off the planned increases in 2021 and 2022 in view of the pandemic. From Nov 1, the fee will be raised to the planned $40.40 to cover the higher cost of operations, and increase again thereafter, CAG and CAAS said. The aviation levy collected by CAAS will be raised for the first time since it was introduced in 2009 as well – from $6.10 now to $8 from Nov 1. The levy, which applies only to departing passengers with flights originating from Changi Airport, will remain at $8 in 2023 and 2024. The latest fee hike comes during the same week that Changi Airport Terminal 4 welcomed its first flights on Tuesday, after it was shut in May 2020 due to plummeting air traffic at the start of the pandemic. The reopening of T4, which has a handling capacity of 16 million passengers a year, will add to Changi Airport's capacity, as will the reopening of the southern half of Terminal 2 from Oct 11. This will restore Changi Airport's handling capacity to its pre-pandemic level of 70 million passengers a year. Passenger traffic at the airport is now averaging 58 per cent of 2019 levels. Flight numbers are slightly higher, at 64 per cent. SOURCE: CAAS, CAG Changi Airport is not alone in increasing its fees, after more than two years of international border restrictions ate into the revenues of airports worldwide. Last year, Schiphol airport in Amsterdam announced plans to increase the fees levied on airlines by 37 per cent over the next three years – a move that drew a sharp rebuke from the International Air Transport Association (Iata). The Dutch government plans to more than triple the country’s air passenger tax in January next year to €28.58 (S$40), up from €7.95 currently. Mr Philip Goh, Iata’s regional vice-president for Asia-Pacific, said the timing of the fee increases at Changi Airport is less than ideal, as any additional costs will negatively impact the financials of airlines. He noted that the Asia-Pacific airline industry is still in the early stages of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, with international passenger demand in the region only at about 36 per cent of 2019 levels as at July this year. In comparison, other regions have seen demand rebound to more than 70 per cent of 2019 levels. “Aviation hubs like Singapore must ensure they remain cost-efficient in order to maintain their attractiveness to airline operators,” he said. “We hope the next regulatory review of these charges in 2024 will keep in mind a need for moderation and improvements when considering any further increase in aviation charges.” A spokesman for Jetstar Asia said it is disappointing that higher airport taxes are being introduced while airlines are still recovering from the pandemic, and from soaring fuel prices. “We are committed to ensuring our fares remain affordable but as a low-cost carrier, taxes make up a significant part of our fares. We will work to manage these additional costs to minimise the impact to our customers,” she said. SIA Group said it will implement all additional levies accordingly, and it aims to mitigate rising costs by improving productivity and operational efficiency, while exercising strict cost discipline. Mr Mohshin Aziz, director of the Pangolin Aviation Recovery Fund, which invests in aviation businesses, said he was surprised by the timing of the fee hike. “Shouldn’t we wait until the industry fully recovers?” he asked, noting that key markets like China and Japan have yet to fully reopen their borders. Mr Shukor Yusof, founder of aviation consultancy Endau Analytics, said it is inevitable that airport charges are hiked. He added: “There’s a cost to ensure Changi retains its position as one of the world’s best.” Ms Edlyn Phua, 31, who has plans to travel at the end of the year, said the increase in airport charges is not significant compared with other travel-related expenses, which have also risen in price. “I can accept the increased levy since it has been nearly three years since I’ve travelled. The bigger consideration for me will be the destination and airfares,” the market research consultant added.

From TST More than he can BarBeQue. Man fined $17,500 for flying into Singapore with 200kg of meat in luggage SFA officers were on June 8 alerted by ICA to luggage that was found to contain assorted meat products at Changi Airport. PHOTO: SINGAPORE FOOD AGENCY/FACEBOOK SINGAPORE - A man travelling from China carried in his luggage more than 200kg of frozen meat, including rabbit meat and mutton. Chinese national Wang Liansheng, 68, was fined $17,500 on Thursday for illegally importing assorted meat products into Singapore, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). On June 8, SFA officers were alerted by ICA to luggage that was found to contain assorted meat products at Changi Airport. The eight pieces of luggage, which belonged to Wang, contained 226kg of frozen meat products such as chicken, beef, pork, mutton and rabbit meat from China. The illegal consignments were seized and destroyed. In another case, Singaporean Tan Kay Huat, 74, was fined $2,000 on Thursday for illegally importing fresh vegetables for sale. SFA said its officers had on March 22 inspected a Malaysian lorry carrying food produce consigned to Tan and Chng Vegetable Seeds and Enterprise at Pasir Panjang Wholesale Centre. Officers found that Tan, the licensee and sole proprietor of the company, had illegally imported 55kg of fresh vegetables, including caixin, spring onion and sweet potato leaf, from Malaysia. The vegetables that were either undeclared or under-declared were seized. SFA said food imports must meet its requirements, fruits and vegetables can be imported only by licensed importers, and every consignment must be declared and accompanied by a valid import permit. It said: "Illegally imported vegetables are of unknown sources and can pose a food safety risk (for example, if unregulated or a high level of pesticides is used). "The long-term ingestion of excessive pesticide residues through the consumption of vegetables that have been subjected to pesticide abuse could lead to adverse health effects." SFA added that meat products can be imported only from accredited sources in approved countries that comply with Singapore's food safety standards and requirements. MORE ON THIS TOPIC $8,000 fine for man who illegally imported meat, seafood products from China Importer, director fined over illegal imports of meat, seafood and other food products Offenders who import meat products illegally from unapproved sources can be fined $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. If it is the offender's second conviction, he can be fined up to $100,000, jailed for up to three years, or both. Those convicted of illegally importing fresh fruits and vegetables can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to three years, or both.

Traffic congestion? Let's fly! (This does not need to indent indicator stalk)😁 SCIENCE & TECH Slovak flying car receives official certification SCIENCE & TECH Slovak flying car receives official certification This screenshot taken from a video from March 23, 2015 and handed out on June 5, 2015 shows the flying car prototype AeroMobil 3.0 of Slovak tech firm AeroMobil flying over Nitra, Slovakia. Slovak tech firm AeroMobil is working on a new prototype of its flying car, weeks after the vehicle of the future spread its wings and crashed during a test flight on May 8, 2015. (AFP/Handout Aeromobil) AFP Bratislava, Slovakia ● Wed, January 26, 2022 Slovakia's Transport Authority on Tuesday said it had issued a certificate of airworthiness for flying car model AirCar, a first step towards commercial production of the invention. "AirCar certification opens the door for mass production of very efficient flying cars," said Stefan Klein, founder and chief executive of KleinVision, a company that designed and manufactured the prototype of the dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle. "It is an official and final confirmation of our ability to change mid-distance travel forever," Klein said in a press release. AirCar completed its first intercity flight in June 2021. The vehicle is powered by a 1.6-litre BMW engine and needs a runway only 300 meters long to take off. It has a flight speed of up to 170 kilometres per hour and a flying distance of 1,000 kilometres. The process of transforming from car to plane takes less than three minutes. Everything is automated, so a single button command is all it takes to change it. Before certification, the Slovak flying car had to complete 70 hours of flight testing, with more than 200 take-offs and landings, KleinVision said. "Based on the fact that the aircraft met the conditions of national regulations set for individually manufactured aircraft and the required level of safety was demonstrated, the Slovak Transport Authority (STA) has issued a special certificate of airworthiness," STA director Rene Molnar told AFP. According to Molnar, after STA has issued the certification, AirCar can apply for aircraft-type certification. "After obtaining the type certificate, it can manufacture the aircraft commercially," he added. This article was published in thejakartapost.com with the title " Slovak flying car receives official certification ". Click to read: https://www.thejakartapost.com/culture/2022/01/26/slovak-flying-car-receives-official-certification-.html. It is also reported by the 160th today.🤐

It is common basic knowledge that motorists are required to give way to pedestrians or cyclists at a pedestrian crossing. Furthermore, it is quite effortless for the motorist to stop, look left and right and check clear before proceeding. However, some drivers seem to have the neck for driving like an @ssho13. Just like this BMW driver: What Happened? The accident above occurred at a junction along Bukit Batok West Ave 5, involving a BMW 318 and a cyclist. The impatient BMW 318 driver 'chiongs' through a discretionary left turn despite a pedestrian and cyclist crossing the road. Within seconds, the BMW sent the cyclist flying in mid-air before crash landing head-first on the ground. Despite being aware of the collision, the BMW did not stop to render any assistance to the cyclist involved. Instead, the BMW driver floored the accelerator and left the accident scene immediately. To be honest, I am not surprised that the BMW driver has the neck for driving like an @ssho13. He is an @ssho13 for committing the hit and run. Here's wishing the cyclist involved a speedy recovery! Netizens' Comments It does not matter if the cyclist alighted and pushed his bicycle across the pedestrian crossing. As drivers, we must do our due diligence and check for traffic before proceeding. In other words, hopefully, cyclists will learn to keep a lookout and use the road in consideration of other road users. ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news, and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

Yahoo News Any One Interested To Have An Airborne Vacation? Inside the nuclear-powered ‘flying hotel’ that can stay airborne for months CGI designs for the Sky Cruise ‘floating hotel' (Hashtem Al-Ghaili/Tony Holmsten) A video showing ambitious designs for a floating “hotel of the future”, which could host 5,000 guests and would remain airborne for years at a time, has divided the internet. Depicting a hulking jet that looks somewhere between a mega-cruise-ship and a space station floating above the clouds, the CGI video of the “Sky Cruise” vessel was posted by animator Hashem Al-Ghaili on YouTube. In the description, the designers say the cruiser would be powered by nuclear energy, piloted by artificial intelligence (AI), and have its own disc-shaped observation tower in which passengers could see incredible skyscapes from above the clouds. The designers claim the floating vessel would stay airborne for years at a time, with passengers and supplies travelling to and from it via electric commercial or private jets, which could land on the top of the cruiser. The video - with designs by Tony Holmsten and animation by Mr Al-Ghaili - claims Sky Cruise would have no carbon footprint, with 20 electric engines “providing clean, nuclear energy”. “Thanks to nuclear energy, the hotel never runs out of fuel and can remain suspended in the air for several years without ever touching the ground,” claim designers. It’s pitched as a leisure holiday destination much like a luxury cruise ship, with the voiceover in the video highlighting multiple bars and restaurants, swimming pools, viewing decks, cinemas and theatres and games rooms - as well as wedding venues on hand for couples to get hitched above the clouds. Massimo @Rainmaker1973 Sky Cruise is a concept for a nuclear-powered sky hotel. This video rendering shows the aircraft designed to fly with 20 electric engines, housing over 5,000 guests in nearly nonstop flight [full video, Hashem Al-Ghaili: https://buff.ly/3Op8VrE]

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Japan-drone-maker-s-flying-motorcycle-to-hit-the-skies-next-year?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20211026190000&seq_num=17&si=44594 Japan drone maker's flying motorcycle to hit the skies next year A.L.I. Technologies starts taking orders for $682,000 Xturismo The Xturismo is the first 'hoverbike' to make its debut in Japan. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) ERI SUGIURA, Nikkei staff writerOctober 26, 2021 16:16 JST OYAMA, Japan -- On a nearly empty racetrack in the foothills of Mt. Fuji, a Tokyo-based drone startup unveiled its vision for the future of transport: a flying motorcycle able to hit speeds of up to 100kph. In a scene straight out of a sci-fi film, the driver fired up the Xturismo, which rose several meters off the ground and cruised along the track for about a minute and a half. Reporters and guests -- all wearing earplugs against the deafening noise -- looked on. Developed by A.L.I. Technologies, the "hoverbike," as the company describes it, weighs 300 kg and is capable of carrying a single rider. According to the company, it can travel at its top speed for up to 40 minutes. A.L.I., which is backed by Kyocera and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital, started taking orders for the bike the same day it was unveiled and plans to deliver the limited-edition run of 200 vehicles to customers by the first half of next year. The price is set at 77.7 million yen ($682,000). Powered primarily by an internal combustion engine, Xturismo relies on two main propellers to stay aloft. The bike is equipped with the same altitude control technology A.L.I. uses in its drone products, allowing it to glide smoothly through the air. "We would like to propose a new lifestyle with this floating vehicle," CEO Daisuke Katano said at the unveiling ceremony. In addition to leisure, the bike could also be used to help rescue people from accidents on the water, said a member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party who attended the ceremony. A.L.I.'s four-year achievement comes as the race to sell flying motorcycles heats up around the world. U.S.-based JetPack Aviation recently said it had succeeded in a flight test of a prototype of the Speeder, reportedly setting itself on course for a launch as early as 2023. Pre-orders start at $380,000. French startup Lazareth is also developing a flying motorcycle. 'We would like to propose a new lifestyle with this floating vehicle,' said Daisuke Katano, A.L.I. Technologies chief executive. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) Investment has been pouring into flying cars, with Toyota Motor investing 43 billion yen in U.S.-based Jobby Aviation in January 2020. HT Aero, a flying car startup backed by Chinese electric vehicle company Xpeng, said last week it has raised over $500 million in its latest funding round. Honda Motor revealed last month that it has been developing a flying car as a part of its 5 trillion yen research and development over the next six years.

YouTuber Alex Choi attended a Tesla meeting where owners showed what modifications they made to their cars. Everything ran smoothly, and everyone was enjoying their time there. But the night ended in a completely different matter. Choi was approached by a Tesla owner that, out of the blue, wanted to show him where David Dobrik (a.k.a Borat) jumped his EV from Elon Musk’s company. Since this was a friendly encounter and a curious invitation, he accepted. What he didn’t expect was to see this owner attempt a jump in that exact spot with his brand-new Tesla Model S. The YouTuber even says that the driver of the flying and now totaled Tesla attempted this on its own. Moreover, he’s done without any practice or test run beforehand. Naturally, a crowd gathers, and everyone starts filming. For some reason, the owner of the acrobatic Tesla violently accelerated, and the jump instantly became a very short flying lesson. The outcome, well… You can see it for yourself. The car was destroyed. What’s sad is that other innocent owners had their cars damaged as well because the impact on the ground was so brutal. Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt. Apart from the new Tesla and some other damage to public property, nothing else went wrong. Still, the video is further proof that Model S vehicles are safe and can protect even the most adventurous drivers. https://www.autoevolution.com/news/brand-new-tesla-model-s-jumps-50-feet-into-the-air-everybody-s-speechless-184385.html Great conclusion right there lol.

Jaywalking is never a good idea. And what's worse is when one attempts to jaywalk at a busy industrial area in the presence of heavy vehicles. Watch it here: What Happened? The accident occurred at Sungei Kadut Avenue, where a man attempted to jaywalk a busy industrial road. He stopped in the middle of the road as heavy vehicles drove past him. Just then, the cam car, together with a motorcycle that was riding ahead of him, approached the bend right before the jaywalker. Due to heavy vehicles around and the bend, the jaywalker was in a very obscure position. Despite applying his brakes, the motorcycle failed to stop in time. And as a result, he rammed right into the jaywalker, which sent him flying in mid-air. The jaywalker fell hard onto the ground and lay there motionless throughout the video. Passersby quickly rushed to the scene to check on both parties. Netizens' Comments Indeed. Only drivers/riders know this. Such knowledge and awareness would not necessarily occur to pedestrians. As usual. Drivers and riders always have to expect the unexpected, that's why driving/riding in Singapore is stressful. ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news, and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

Managed to attend the Singapore Airshow this year as a trade visitor, and managed to make a few videos. Will share them in the next thread, in case anybody is interested.

To me, this is a pretty unusual and weird occurrence to experience a flying tyre on expressways in Singapore. As I have no prior knowledge and experience of this type of incident, I am curious to know what would be the possible actions that the camcar could take? And would insurance coverage be applicable in such a situation? At the speed that the tyre was flying towards the cam car, I reckon that the cost for repairs and replacements of parts would be a hefty sum. At the moment, I am still puzzled about the facts of the incident: 1. Is this the fault of the van driver? As he is responsible for: Spare tyre not being secured properly; and For playing the role of the "catalyst" in this incident, since the tyre was merely a stationary road hazard moments before the incident happened. 2. As the Subaru Forester driver caused the tyre to fly towards the cam car, is it his fault in this incident? 3. Are both the van driver and Subaru Forester at fault? 4. Or is the cam car just so damn unlucky, that he's unable to get any form of compensation for damages to his car? Hope you guys can enlighten me on these type of unusual incidents, and shed some light on the relevant procedures required. 🙂

You can add this to the list of weird sightings on Singapore's expressways, including reversing on an expressway and riding a motorcycle in the nude. Watch the video to find out what happened: This incident occurred on the Seletar Expressway (SLE). What happened? When this mishap took place, the cam car was behind a white Subaru Forester, cruising on lane 1 of the expressway. It was a pleasant and smooth drive until the Subaru Forester drove over the tyre, sending it flying directly towards the cam car and smashes right onto the cam car's bonnet. *That Subbie certainly do be flexing its SUV capability* Moments later, the cam car skilfully filters from lane 1 to the left shoulder of the expressway after spotting someone who seems to be looking for something underneath his van 🤔 Netizens' comments That would be disastrous. Also, it was lucky that the tyre did not smash into the cam car's windshield. It could end up as an accidental PR publicity for Subaru, who knows? It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt... On a side note... In such a situation, what are the possible actions cam car could take against the culprit? Would insurance coverage be applicable? --- Thinking of selling your car? sgCarMart Quotz guarantees the highest selling price for your car. We’ll even give you $100 cash if you find a better offer elsewhere! Get a free quote to find out how much your car is worth today!

http://www.mr-mehra.com/2020/10/futuristic-flying-aircar-that-can.html Futuristic flying 'AirCar' that can transform from a road vehicle into a plane in under THREE MINUTES takes to the skies for the first time A flying sports car that can go from road vehicle to aircraft in just three minutes has flown 1,500ft in the air over Slovakia as part of a test flight, its developers say. Sensational footage of the AirCar, developed by Slovakian firm KleinVision, shows it driving on a runway, stopping to deploy wings, and then soaring through the air. This is the fifth prototype of the flying car and developers say it would be great for leisure and self-driving journeys, or as a commercial taxi service. No price details have been revealed for the futuristic vehicle, but it can travel for about 620 miles at a time and could be seen in the air and on the roads from next year. Sensational footage of the AirCar, developed by Slovakian firm KleinVision, shows it driving on a runway, stopping to deploy wings, and then soaring through the air This is the fifth version of the flying car and developers say it would be great for leisure and self-driving journeys, or as a commercial taxi service According to its developers it completed two 1,500ft test flights at Piestany Airport in Slovakia this week, bringing it a step closer to commercial flight. Designed by Professor Stefan Klein, the AirCar safely completed two takeoffs and landings as part of the test run. Cars can be heavy, but planes must be light and so finding that balance for the AirCar was a major challenge for Klein and his team. The two-seat model, tested in Slovakia this week, weights 2,425lb and can carry an additional load of 440lb per flight, the company said. Powered by a BMW 1.6l engine, the car-plane has an effective power output of 140HP and the estimated travel range of AirCar is 621 miles. It requires a runway of at least 984ft to get from ground to sky and can reach speeds of up to 124 miles per hours, according to Klein. AirCar has wings that unfurl and a single propeller at the read. The wings fold up when the vehicle is on the road and it takes up the space of a normal packing spot. 'The wing and tail deployment/retraction mechanism is very impressive, converting the automobile into an airplanem' said Dr Branko Sarh, former Boeing expert. 'The cockpit providing space for the driver/pilot and a passenger is very roomy and nicely styled. The overall appearance of the flying car on road and in the air is superb,' Sarh added. It requires a runway of at least 984ft to get from ground to sky and can reach speeds of up to 124 miles per hours, according to Klein. The developers say it has been designed so that the stability and controllability of the AirCar is accessible to any pilot, with no specialist training required. 'The key flight parameters confirmed all theoretical concepts and calculations that the development of the AirCar was based on,' Professor Klein said. When all of the legally required flight tests are completed they plan to fit the craft with a more powerful engine and hope to have it ready for sale within six months. No price details have been revealed for the futuristic vehicle but it can travel for about 620 miles in the air and could be seen in the air and on the roads next year. The company already has a buyer interested in purchasing one of the AirCars when it passes all future tests and is ready to fly - or drive. 'With AirCar you will arrive at your destination without the hassle of getting a ride to airport and passing through commercial security,' said co-found Anton Zajac. 'You can drive your AirCar to the golf course, the office, the mall or your hotel and park it in a normal parking space,' said Zajac added.

M’sia to release ‘flying car’ prototype by end 2019, claims 1-hour KL to Penang trip possible Source: https://mothership.sg/2019/10/malaysia-flying-car-end-2019/ Malaysia is expected to launch its “flying car” prototype at the end of 2019, according to Malaysia’s Minister of Entrepreneur Development. Malay Mail reported that Minister Mohd Redzuan bin Mohd Yusof did not give parliament an exact date, but said that “air mobility” will continue to undergo further development. The prototype was previously planned to be unveiled in October 2019, according to The Star. Flying cars by Vision 2020 Khairy Jamaluddin, the youth chief of UMNO, had parliament in stitches after he said he was glad to have lived to see his dream of “flying cars”. “Vision 2020 was introduced when I was 15 years old. We imagined that there would be flying cars by then. I would like to congratulate the minister for being the only one to keep the promise of Vision 2020,” he said cheekily. Vision 2020 is a goal set forth by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who called for Malaysia to be a developed nation by 2020. Khairy also asked Redzuan when the public can expect to see the entrepreneur development minister riding the “flying car”. In response, Redzuan said that Mahathir had barred him from the air mobility vehicle, unless it was insured. He also gave more details about the vehicle, stating that it can accommodate two to three passengers. Redzuan also said that the “flying car” can cut short travelling time, and claimed that travelling between Penang and Kuala Lumpur will only take an hour, compared to four hours on the road. Flying car timeline On March 2, Redzuan announced that the “flying car” will not be for sale to the public, but companies such as Grab are interested to use it for taxi services. A model of the proposed “flying car” was first unveiled in March this year, at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace 2019 exhibition. The model drew a lot of flak for being little more than a glorified drone, although Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was reportedly pleased with the idea when he visited the booth. Later, it was clarified that the “flying car” that was being developed was actually a drone that can carry people and cargo. The passenger drone can reportedly carry a load of approximately 150kg to 200kg, and fly about 50m above ground level at 60km/h for between 30 and 90 minutes of flying time, according to the vehicle’s developers. On Aug. 20, it was announced that works to construct Malaysia’s first “flying car” was 85 per cent complete. The world awaits with bated breath.

Woah! Exciting!

Redzuan: Malaysia's first-ever flying car to be revealed this year KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Malaysia's first-ever flying car – driven by local technology – is expected to be unveiled this year, says Datuk Seri Redzuan Md Yusof (pic). The Entrepreneur Development Minister said a prototype of the car already exists. "This year is a realistic target because we have the technology. It is all about the speed of implementation," he told reporters after launching the Growth Malaysia initiative here on Tuesday (Feb 26). He said the car would be safe and capable of flying at low altitude at a reasonable speed. "Investment to build the prototype was slightly over RM1mil," he said. Mohd Redzuan said the flying car project is a way for the government to create an environment that stimulates people to think about new technology. "We are providing the catalyst and ecosystem to stimulate the people to think beyond what we do today," he said. He said the project is also to utilise the country's capabilities in the aerospace, drone, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and automotive sectors. "Malaysia has the skill set to excel in the field of aerospace, drone, UAV and the national car. We need to use our skill set because the bottom line is we want to be a producing nation," he said. However, he said the project is separate from the third national car project envisioned by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. On Growth Malaysia, he said the initiative is led by online to offline platform operator Fave to help Malaysian offline retailers to go digital in terms of payments, marketing, data and financial services. Fave founder Joel Neoh said the initiative aims to help 100,000 restaurants across Malaysia to grow digitally by 2020. He said collaborators for the initiative included Grab Malaysia, Maybank, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, Funding Societies and Productivity Nexus for Retail and Food and Beverages. – Bernama

Anyone down for this?

Now we bet the the driver of this truck will be regretting really hard about driving after having some drinks. Spotted on Beh Chia Lor's Facebook page and some of our Whatsapp group chats, is this video of a trailer truck crashing into an HDB block at Block 152 Yung Ho Road. It happened on 16 Nov 2020. Thankfully, the tree that the truck knocked down managed to stop it from crashing into one of the first level HDB unit. Rest In Peace, tree... The truck driver has since been arrested for drunk driving. Netizens' comments were naturally not kind to the truck driver... 34c5433d-4976-4664-8e03-ca6af42dface.MP4

A mobile phone has been hurt as a result of this unfortunate accident between a van and a pedestrian along Sophia Road heading towards Wilkie Road on 11th of September. As we can see from this video posted onStomp and ROAD.sg, the driver of this Nissan van seemed to be distracted and was not paying attention to where he was heading, knocking a poor pedestrian hard from the back. Clearly, the van driver is at fault here... According to the police, the 40-year old pedestrian was conscious when conveyed to Raffles Hospital. He could be seen clutching his head as the video was about the end. We hope all is well for him. And his phone! 52576251_174470654273041_5621453545594435322_n.mp4

June is just around the corner and this is the 1st time in as long as I can remember that I HAVE NOT been on a plane this year. While I am not a prolific flyer like some in this forum, I usually would have flew at least 2 business trips and also had a holiday cancelled in Feb to due the uncertainly. Do I miss travelling? Miss the smell of the plane cabin? The thrill of getting out of immigration quickly? The lounge food? In a way.... Yes. Though travel is unlikely to resume soon and hope things get back to normalcy soon...

So many companies around the world are building flying cars. Do you think they will eventually become a mainstream mode of transport , in our life time ? Why yes and why not. If not, then what does it take to overcome inorder to come to fruition ? Discuss, thanks.

Got back recently from a most interesting trip to Xi'An China. This was a couple trip (left our kids at home, they got school lah), and also a belated birthday celebration for dear Wife. We wanted to try something different, so we decided to go to Xi'An, the historic capital of China, to take a look. Based on our research, there was so much to see. Didn't want to Scoot to Xi'An Yes, I know that Scoot flew direct to Xi'An. But, hey, birthday celebration - so can spend a bit more lah. We ended up flying to Xi-An on China Eastern, in Business class. China Eastern flies through Shanghai, so the schedule was: 1. 17 May MU 566 - dep Singapore 2310, arr Shanghai 0440 2. 18 May MU 2335 - dep Shanghai 0645, arr Xi'An 0930 This flight turned out to be an adventure in its own right! When we got to the airport on 17 May evening, there were long lines at the check-in. At first I thought the Economy check in was just slow, but something wasn't quite right because the line wasn't moving at all! We headed to the Priority Check in, only to be told that our flight was re-timed to next morning 0800hrs! DUH! Apparently the Shanghai Airport unilaterally did the re-timing, due to some bad weather over Guangzhou. What to do? Either we waited at the airport and let them put us up at a hotel, or we go home. Counter staff told us that there were more than 500 pax that were due to fly (because 2 flights were re-timed), and if we wanted the hotel option, we had to wait for the bus to come, and the hotel was somewhere downtown (i.e. not airport hotel). So we decided to take a taxi home so that we could have a proper sleep, and come back to the airport early tomorrow morning (i.e. before 6AM). We got to the airport before 6AM the next morning. We knew we had to change our connecting flight. We would have missed MU 2335 (dep Shanghai at 0645hrs). So the China Eastern counter staff changed our flight to MU 2162, dep Shanghai at 1730hrs. Based on our re-timed MU566, we would have landed in Shanghai around 1300hrs. So a 1730hrs flight was the next available fight out. At least we got seats. So we felt relieved. They issued our boarding passes (for both legs) and checked our luggage through. Ok, it was time to go to the lounge at Terminal 3 to relax. China Eastern uses the SATS Premier Lounge at Terminal 3. With our lounge invites issued by check in counter, we got in. It was very busy that morning! Even the China Eastern cockpit crews were there having their breakfast. Fortunately we could find some seats, but the staff were slow in clearing up used cutlery, making the place look very messy, as the video below shows. Well. the mess didn't bother me too much. I got some breakfast, including meat congee, laksa, noodles, otah-otah. Soon, it was time to board, and we made our way to the gates, which was a rather long walk at the end of the Terminal. When we got into the gates, I noticed that the cabin crew were still at the gates. Was the aircraft even here? Well there was no aircraft at the gate! Oh no, no plane, no need to go to Shanghai! Well, fortunately, the plane arrived shortly thereafter, being towed in. Managed to take this video clip. I think the plane was parked at a remote stand overnight, that's why they had to tow the plane to the gate. Travel Insurance Documentation Oh, before I forget, we had bought travel insurance for our trip. So we would be able to claim something from the insurance policy due to such a lenghty delay, but important to get an official letter from the Airline to prove that the flight was delayed. We asked at the check-in counter, and they told us to get the letter at the boarding gate. We asked again at the boarding gate, and indeed they gave us 2 copies of the letter. My point is that if you don't ask, you won't get anything. This is what the letter looked like. Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner Thrilled to see that the plane was one of their very new Boeing 787-900 aircraft! We were in for a treat because this model of aircraft carried their latest Cabin products, which you will see later. Boarding commenced shortly and a wonderful sight greeted us when we boarded the Business class cabin. It was gorgeous and very classy indeed! I was seated in 8L and my wife in front of me in 7L. Flight Experience on China Eastern Business Class The flight experience was very nice. We ended up taking off at around 9AM (instead of 8AM). All the seats could turn into a flat bed at a push of a button. Even though the flight to Shanghai was not long (under 5 hours), I had time to take a short nap. My wife told me she watched movies throughout as there was some Chinese show that she liked. They didn't have menus at the seats. Rather, the stewardess comes around to take your orders for the meal after takeoff. In that process, she showed me the menu. I made a flight review video, and I hope you enjoy watching. When we arrived in Shanghai, we had an aero-bridge and walked straight into the Terminal. After the earlier fight re-timing, we were expecting any more surprises, but a bigger challenge was to come! Stay tuned for more...

What happens when carmaker Audi, planemaker Airbus and car styling house Italdesign unite to create the most futuristic techno-mobility vehicle possible? In a word, this. The Audi Flying Taxi Concept, set to be presented at Amsterdam’s Drone Week exhibition. An electric car – which can drive itself – and be collected by a pilotless electric drone for airborne traffic dodging. Brave new world… Isn’t this a bit of a big leap to make in one concept? ‘Nein’, according to says Dr. Bernd Martens, president of the Audi-owned Italdesign. “Flying taxis are on the way. We at Audi are convinced of that”, Bernd says. “More and more people are moving to cities. And more and more people will be mobile thanks to automation. In the future, senior citizens, children, and people without a driver’s license will want to use convenient robot taxis.” The craft you see isn’t yet ready to carry a hapless human: it’s a quarter-scale model. Maybe Audi could use it to ferry pets. It appears to work, at least – Audi says that in the Flying Taxi’s first public test “the flight module accurately placed a passenger capsule on the ground module, which then drove from the test grounds autonomously”. There’s no word on what it did then. Did it return? Did it attain self-awareness and elope, Ex Machina style, into society? Probably not, since Audi reckons this drone/claw arcade game hybrid could be in service in major cities within a decade.

Geely - the Chinese car giant and owner of Volvo – has acquired Terrafugia, an American flying car company that intends to bring a model to the market by 2019. Rumours of the acquisition first surfaced this summer, and Geely confirmed this week it was buying Terrafugia for an undisclosed sum. Announcing the move, Geely’s chairman Li Shufu, said: “The team at Terrafugia have been at the forefront of believing in and realizing the vision for a flying car and creating the ultimate mobility solution.” While some industry insiders have expressed surprise at the Terrafugia takeover, Shufu explained he saw flying cars as being a “tremendously exciting sector”. He said Geely believes “Terrafugia is ideally positioned to change mobility as we currently understand it and herald the development of a new industry.” Terrafuglia’s Transition flying car took its first prototype flight in 2009, and while progress was initially slow, the model received exemption from the US Federal Aviation Authority in June 2016. The ruling means the Transition can be classified as a ‘light sport aircraft’ , and is therefore able to be flown by pilots with a ‘sports’ licence, which can be acquired by 16 year olds after as little as 20 hours of flight time. Even if it turns out to be relatively easy to get a licence for the Transition, buying one won’t be cheap. Terrafugia has tentatively priced it at between US$300,000 and US$400,000 . For the same money, you could have a brand new, 789bhp, 211mph Ferrari 812 Superfast and leftover change. Terrafugia promises a flying range of 400-mile range for the Transition, with a top speed of 100mph and a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet. Little is known of the car’s on-road performance, but the firm promises it’ll be capable of “highway speeds”. And while the Transition requires a runway for take-off and landing, Terrafugia aims to bring a VTOL (vertical take off and landing) model to market at a later date. The TF-X will be a semi-autonomous electric flying car, and its VTOL status would make it better suited to exploit the potential opportunities offered by such vehicles.