This Flying Contraption Didn't Tumble Out of the Sky… I'm Mildly Impressed
Image Credit: Skyfly Technologies.
Today, I'll attempt to sprinkle a little bit of reality on the latest revolution in aviation. This time, it's a British-born electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) machine called the Skyfly Axe. And, to its credit, it recently managed to fly from one patch of grass to another without causing a national incident. A momentous occasion, I'm sure you'll agree.
Look, it's Monday, and I'm extra skeptical. About everything. I've seen electric dreams fizzle out faster than a cheap battery in a Nordic winter. I've heard countless messiahs of electric propulsion promise us silent skies and personal jetpacks, only to deliver a quiet fizz and a mild static shock. So, when I hear about a "historic first airfield-to-airfield flight," my skepticism meter, which is perpetually in the upper-mid range, twitches with a familiar blend of hope and sarcasm.
The flight in question saw this two-seater, looking like a dragonfly that had a passionate affair with a ceiling fan, lift off from Turweston Aerodrome and plop itself down at Bicester Airfield in the picturesque English countryside. The journey was 10 nautical miles long. A whole 12 minutes of nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat travel one way, and a blistering eight minutes on the return. I've had longer trips to the refrigerator.
Image Credit: Skyfly Technologies.
The man at the controls, Dr. William Brooks, who also happens to be the chief technical officer for Skyfly, described the flight as "very well" performed. High praise indeed. He mentioned the eVTOL in question has a "gentle feel in turbulence," which is reassuring, I suppose. The last thing you want is your electric whirlybird to feel like it's having a seizure every time it hits a pocket of bumpy air.
He also lauded the "outstanding view and lack of noise." And he's got a point there. One of the genuine upsides of this electric malarkey is the peace and quiet. It's hard to be grumpy when you can actually hear yourself think while soaring through the heavens.
The Skyfly Axe is a rather clever-looking bit of kit. It's got a wingspan of about 16 feet and an overall length of just over 14 feet. It's not exactly going to hog all the space in your mega-hangar. It's powered by eight electric motors, with a pair nestled on each wingtip.
These motors are juiced by a 48 kWh lithium battery pack that, and this is a genuinely smart touch, is swappable. No more waiting around for hours, tethered to a charging station like a dog tied to a post. You can just yank out the depleted batteries and slot in a fresh set. Simple. Effective. More of this, please.
Image Credit: Skyfly Technologies.
The performance figures are somewhat OK. It can cruise along at a respectable 100 miles per hour and, on a full charge, will carry you and a friend for about 100 miles. There's even a hybrid option in the works with a generator that extends the range to over 300 miles, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
The all-electric version is the main event here. It can take off vertically, like a helicopter, or conventionally, like a proper airplane, from a runway. This dual personality is a big deal, offering a level of flexibility that could actually make it genuinely useful.
Skyfly is pegging the Axe at around $180,000. Before you spit out your coffee, consider this: in the grand, often ludicrously expensive, world of aviation, that's practically a bargain. It's in the same ballpark as a high-end sports car. Of course, you can't exactly drive your Lamborghini to a rooftop bar, now can you? The Axe, in theory, could land you right there.
Image Credit: Skyfly Technologies.
The team behind this endeavor, Skyfly Technologies, seems to have its head screwed on right. Dr. Brooks himself had a hand in designing and certifying over 2,000 aircraft. This isn't some fly-by-night operation run out of a garden shed. They've managed to get the UK's Civil Aviation Authority to give them the nod, which is no mean feat. These are serious people with a serious, if slightly ambitious, plan.
And their ambitions are crossing the pond. The prototype that made this "historic" jaunt is being packed up and shipped off to the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For those not in the know, Oshkosh is the Mecca for experimental aircraft. It's where the weird and the wonderful of the aviation world gather to show off their creations. It'll be interesting to see the reaction from the American crowd.
Am I a convert? Am I ready to trade in my vintage Harley for a personal eVTOL? Let's not get carried away. The road, or rather the flight path, to a world of personal electric aircraft is long and filled to the brim with challenges. But the Skyfly Axe, with its clever design, sensible approach, and successful flight, has managed to nudge my skepticism meter down a notch. It's a promising step in the right direction.
