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当飞机制造商不断通过“拉长”机身、提高燃油效率为飞机升级换代时，
一些或许会彻底改变飞行生活的概念飞机、飞行设备已经悄然问世。
空客旗下100%使用电能的飞机即将投产，
完全利用太阳能进行昼夜不间断飞行的飞机也吸引了诸多飞行爱好者的关注，电动汽车特斯拉的总裁马克斯试图打造舒适、安全的飞行汽车，
德国人正在研制用意念就能操控飞机的飞行控制系统……
在不久的将来，
这些新技术或许会将公务机、民航的发展引入全新的领域，
甚至改变人们对飞行的理解。
When aircraft manufacturers are upgrading their aircraft with extended fuselage or improved fuel efficiency， some concept aircraft or flying equipment that may fundamentally change our flying lives are quietly being developed. The 100% electric aircraft from Airbus will soon hit the market； a solar-powered aircraft that could fly day and night has been launched； the CEO of Tesla is building a safe and comfortable flying car； the German is developing a mind-controlled flight system … In the near future， these new technologies will be bringing business jets and civil airliners to brand new levels， or even change our perception of flying.
交通领域的能源消耗一直是困扰各国的重要问题，尤其以航空业为甚。根据一份世界能源署发布的数据显示，空中交通约占全球碳排放总量的2.2%，且该数字正在不断升高，如不采取行动，预计到2020年航空业的碳排放量将达到8亿吨，2050年会占据全球排放总量的10%。
汽车界新能源利用开展得如火如荼，航空业也紧随其后，越来越多的企业开始开发利用生物能源、氢燃料等新能源的飞机，其中一些甚至已经成功翱翔天空。或许只欠成本降低、技术成熟的东风，这些飞机就能借新能源的利箭，在环保的战役中攻城拔寨。
在新能源飞机中，除了通常的节能环保、效率高之外，电动飞机具有独特的优势。其由于电机作用，噪声和振动水平很低，是降低此类污染的绝佳选择。此外，电动飞机还更安全可靠，杜绝了燃油泄漏等事故隐患，而且结构简单、操作更加简便，维修也相对易行，费用经济。另外，电动飞机可以获得更佳的设计效果，采用创新布局，满足特殊需求。
今年4月25日，空客公司在法国波尔多举行了“电动飞机日”活动，旗下E-Fan电动飞机首次公开演示飞行。
这款由空客公司旗下的欧洲航空防务与航天集团（EADS）和法国航空制造商ACS公司联合开发的双座纯电动飞机，由韩国Kokam公司制造的两组250V锂离子聚合电池供电，这些电池被安排在机翼内侧部分，充满电只需要1小时。如果在空中电量耗尽，机载备用电池可供紧急降落。
空客公司首席技术官让·博迪（Jean Botti）表示：“这款飞机的推出代表我们的技术发展迈出了战略性的一步，我们还将致力于开发对国防以及民用有益的技术。”这位前通用汽车电动汽车研发团队的工程师，对E-Fan的前景侃侃而谈，并解释其实际上是在为今后开发用于70～90座支线客机的混合动力发动机做技术储备。在他看来，在电气化技术普惠的今天，电动飞机梦变得不再遥远，航空业的改革与创新很可能从电气化开始。EADS曾领导研发4引擎电动飞机Cri-Cri的负责人伊曼纽尔·朱伯特（Emmanuel Joubert ）也表达了同样的看法，他说：“今天，电力驱动是相当好的应用技术，比如电动汽车。”
事实上，这种动力系统和电混动力汽车的原理基本一致，在动力需求最大的起飞阶段，电池和电力发动机将为涡扇机提供全部的动力；等平稳飞行时，电力发动机在保证涡扇动力的同时，可将一部分多余的电力储存进电池。
目前，E-Fan的续航时间并不长，只能支持实际飞行半个小时左右，但空客认为这并不是问题，因为其主要用于试验或者执行任务的短途飞行、飞行员的特技飞行表演以及初学者的飞行训练。
博迪乐观地预测，等它的技术足够成熟，并且能够批量生产，就可以将它推销到飞行学校或特技表演队。“我们将最快于2017年年底在法国西南部的波尔多工厂生产E-Fan。”他说。或许，在不久的将来，我们就可以在航校里一窥它的风采，并且驾驶它学习飞行技术了。
太阳能已经是外太空飞行器最基本的能源，在大气层以内，技术人员也正在尝试让它挑战空气阻力与地心引力，为飞机提供强大的动力。1981年7月7日，第一架以太阳能为动力的飞机——美国“太阳挑战者”号，以平均每小时48千米的速度、3350米的飞行高度，完成了全长265千米的旅行，成功跨越英吉利海峡。如今，将太阳能视为一种成熟的空中能源还为时过早，但将它作为一种未来的高效能源，在新能源飞机研发中已越来越多地被提及。
近日，瑞士飞行员安德烈·博尔施伯格（André Borschberg）在瑞士驻华使馆介绍了该公司新一代太阳能飞机 “阳光动力2”号。他将于2015年驾驶这款飞机进行环球飞行。这款飞机克服了太阳能飞机天生的弱点——夜间飞行，使得“永久”航行成为可能。 夜间飞行是太阳能飞机最核心的性能体现，同时也是其最难逾越的技术障碍。“如果太阳能储备不能支持夜晚飞行，那么飞机就会因丧失动力而坠落。”在博尔施伯格看来，阳光动力号已经基本解决了这一问题。“为了能够实现真正的昼夜不停飞行，这就要求飞机的能效必然非常的高。”为了装更多的电池，“阳光动力2”号飞机翼展达到72米，比传统最大飞机波音747-81更宽。在白天飞行的时候，太阳能电池板从太阳中汲取能量，可以飞到接近9000米的高度，飞得越久，电池储能就越多。
“阳光动力号（Solar Impulse）兼具科学及创新意义，同时也具有一定的哲学意义，它将提升社会大众共同保护地球资源的意识。”伯特兰·皮卡德（Bertrand Piccard）表示。阳光动力公司正是这位传奇人物在十多年前与博尔施伯格共同创立的。他们在2009年6月制造出首架太阳能飞机。
2010年，阳光动力号成为全球首架实现26小时昼夜飞行的太阳能飞机，并在2011年和2012年先后完成跨国和跨洲飞行。2013年5月3日，阳光动力号从美国加利福尼亚州出发，途中在亚利桑那、德克萨斯、密苏里、俄亥俄和华盛顿特区停留，最后在纽约完成飞行。这次飞行是历史性的，也为两人能够继续在太阳能飞机领域创造奇迹增加了信心与筹码。
该项目目前由80位跨学科团队专家、90个合作伙伴、100位左右顾问组成，项目经过12年的分析、设计、计算、模拟、制造和测试，已经投资1.7亿美元。尽管中国太阳能企业已经纵横捭阖于全球，但是12年来，该项目并未有中国企业的加入。这也是吸引博尔施伯格来到中国的原因之一。“我们还在不断寻找合作伙伴，如果有中国企业参与，我们当然可以开展多种合作。”他说。
现在，在阳光动力号中应用的一些新技术也在现有产业中得到了体现。“比如飞机飞到高空的时候舱外的温度是零下40摄氏度，我们必须采用最先进的隔热材料，使热量散发降到最低，这样才能使能效达到最高。这种技术现在已经用在制造冰箱上。还有很多其他的应用，都可以从阳光动力号延伸到其他领域。”博尔施伯格说。
皮卡德希望在他的尝试下，人们可以认识到如果连飞机都可以拒绝依赖石油，成功绕行地球一周，那么就没有人敢说，替代能源对于其他交通工具是不可实现的。博尔施伯格则认为，阳光动力号不是为了载人，而是为了传递消息，为了向人们展示利用清洁能源我们可以做什么，一切都源于梦想、激情和热爱。这样一次冒险必须通过使用清洁技术，激发社会热情，使公众直面我们这个时代所面临的各种挑战。用他的话来说就是：“如果今天不开始，那么永远都不会走入明天。”
有专家预计，40多年后，在解决了太阳能吸收、大幅提高电池功效之后，能够承载300名乘客的大型太阳能飞机有望投入运营。
当安德烈·博尔施伯格在太阳能飞机领域积极奔走时，他的好朋友——特斯拉公司CEO艾隆·马斯克（Elon Musk）不仅试图用电动汽车改变世界，也声称要打造能广泛应用于大众生活的飞行汽车。“我们显然可以造出一辆飞行汽车——但那并非难点。真正的难点在于，怎样让这辆飞行汽车具备卓越的安全性和安静性。原因是倘若这辆汽车声音隆隆，那么会使人不开心。”
虽然马斯克的宏愿尚未真正付诸实践，但他指出了飞行汽车用于生活的两大问题——安全性和舒适性，如果谁能有效解决这两个问题，就能抢占先机，将扁平化的汽车世界打造得更加立体。美国航空业分析师罗伯特·曼恩说，从上世纪30年代起，人们就念叨着想开车飞上天了，发明者们也在不断为此努力。显然，这个愿望从未像今天这样切近。
与马斯克现在只是过嘴瘾不同的是，位于美国马萨诸塞州的Terrafugia公司正在开发一款名为Transition的两座小型“飞机”。这款“飞机”不但拥有可折叠的机翼，而且拥有能够在公路上奔驰的车轮。
在路面拥堵已经成为社会常态的今天，仰望天空，若有一架如《神盾特工局》中“劳拉”一般的飞车呼啸而过，相信任何人都会对它垂涎三尺。只不过电视剧中是特技效果，Transition却能让梦想照进现实。
Transition在2009年试飞成功，它能够在30秒内由行驶模式变换为飞行模式，并实现100千米/小时的飞行速度，最远能够飞行700多千米。它的发明者卡尔·迪特里希（Carl Dietrich）博士是麻省理工学院（MIT）航空航天部的研究员，他从2006年开始研发Transition汽车。“当我说我在研究飞行汽车时，人们总会发出讥笑声，但是事实上我真的是很认真地在致力于此。”卡尔说。
因为供应商及生产线等问题，Transition一再推迟交付时间，卡尔在2013年、2014年两度来中国寻找合作者，他在中国的代理人——丝翼航空总裁张弩也陪同他四处奔走，以期获得第五轮融资的款项、可供量产的制造商或其他技术支持。
在张弩看来，飞行汽车有着广阔的前景，当城市道路成为巨大的停车场时，似乎只有离开地面才是真正的解决之道。“Transition不仅获得了美国联邦航空管理局关于轻型运动飞机的许可，还获得了美国国家公路交通安全管理局的认证。虽然在国内，走完这些流程、手续会非常困难，但我相信飞行汽车的社会效益将会非常好，我们也希望能够有合作者在这些方面提供帮助。”她说。
《私人飞机》：您发明飞行汽车的初衷是什么？
卡尔：飞行汽车可以让人们掌控自己的出行时间表，能够更快、更安全地到达目的地，比目前的日常出行更加有效率，我认为它拥有巨大的社会潜力。
《私人飞机》：何时飞行汽车能够大规模量产？它的售价是多少？现在有多少订单？
卡尔：Transition目前拥有100架订单，我们将在2016年的第二季度交付第一批产品，其基本价格为27.9万美元（约合173万元人民币）。
《私人飞机》：Transition如何保证它的安全性能？ 卡尔：Transition具有全球卫星定位系统、电子计算机自控系统以及卫星控制技术等高端科技装备，驾驶员无须掌握像飞机飞行员那样的高难驾驶技术。但在驾驶Transition之前需要有20小时以上的飞行训练。
新一代产品中的计算机还可以帮用户从数据网络中规划一条合适的飞行路径，以规避其他空中飞行器和障碍。用户只需要练习并掌握何时何地安全起降，对紧急情况做出反应，在紧急情况下，只需知道如何拉动手柄开启降落伞系统等基础知识即可。
《私人飞机》：哪些人会喜欢飞行汽车？
卡尔：我们这款飞行汽车的售价略低于传统的两座飞机，和法拉利等超跑持平，我想我们的客户有注重实用性的，因为Transition使用的是普通无铅汽油，能耗低且使用方便；另外还有客户是注重娱乐性的，驾驶飞行汽车相当酷炫。在一般情况下，我们的客户应该是喜好自由的，向往灵活、有趣产品的。
《私人飞机》：Transition需要在一条至少500米的跑道上起飞，这是它的限制所在，对这点如何改进？
卡尔：我们的下一代产品——TF-X是一款可以垂直起飞和降落的车辆，它所能应用的地点将更为广泛。但是飞机垂直起降时需要大量的空气来助推或缓冲，动力气流会对周边的汽车造成破坏，所以TF-X起降大致需要网球场般大小的地方。另外，TF-X还要实现电和燃油的混合动力驱动以及实现智能自动驾驶等。TF-X大约需要8～10年的研发。
Transition的问题标签
噪音：Transition采用飞机的噪音标准，无法达到汽车般的环保性和舒适性。
起降跑道：美国联邦航空管理局规定其必须在通航机场起降，在美国除了个别州，均对飞机的起降地点有限制，更不用提中国了。而且，Transition尽管卖点之一是解决拥堵问题，但跑道长度的限制注定这是一项不可能完成的任务。
证件与牌照：在中国，Transition必须具有飞机牌照和汽车牌照，遵从两种产品的市场管理，驾驶者也必须拥有飞机驾驶牌照和汽车驾驶牌照。在政府监管层面，这还是一项空白，一切需等2016年产品量产之后才能确定。
荷兰PAL-V欧洲公司设计制造的个人空地两用车PAL-V（personal air and land vehicle）一号，也是目前具有代表性的一款飞行汽车，它的起飞距离约200米。与Transition不同的是，它是由3个车轮带动在路面上行驶的，飞行则通过安装在身后的螺旋桨进行驱动，并依靠头顶上的水平旋翼提供升力，完成起飞。
三轮的造型让PAL-V像一辆越野摩托车，巨大的旋翼又昭示它有直升机的基因。PAL-V在路面的实际操控介乎摩托车和赛车之间，共有两个座椅，底盘采用倾斜设计，速度可达到每小时180千米。PAL-V在陆地上行进时，旋翼会自动折叠收拢，降低阻力，因此速度很快。
这款飞行汽车的可折叠旋翼可保证驾驶和着陆的安全性。与普通直升机不同，飞行汽车的叶轮在空中只需空气动力即可旋转。即使发动机在空中出现故障，顶部的叶轮也可继续旋转，使飞行汽车平稳降落而非突然下坠。GPS定位系统和雷达系统可保证其在空中的安全性。
飞行汽车的发明人约翰·巴克说：“这是辆很炫的车。在基础设施建设不完善的国家和地区，飞行汽车比普通交通工具更安全快捷。在发达地区，它则可以帮人们省下大量堵在路上的时间。”PAL-V公司希望在未来这款飞机可以用于任务执飞，如紧急服务和商业监管，而不是用于私人领域。
与Transition相同的是，这款飞行汽车的量产时间也一再延后，但可喜的是，在7月15日，它正式鸣锣开卖，售价29.5万美元（约合人民币183万元）
从去年开始，可穿戴设备就成为了科技界最热门的话题之一。像Google的“Project Glass”眼镜，集智能手机、GPS、相机于一身，在用户眼前展现实时信息，只要通过眼部动作就能拍照上传、收发短信、查询天气路况，不必用手操控，就能记录资讯。虽然可穿戴设备市场方兴未艾，但是与智能手机一样，在未来或许会迎来爆发式的增长，毕竟，电子设备生产的规模化使得这些产品的开发、量产成本较低，并能快速融入现有社会生态。
如今，这股旋风也吹到了航空业，由于可穿戴设备可以很大程度上解放双手，所以在飞机驾驶、维修等操作中都能得到有效利用，能够让操作者获得更大的自由度，来掌控更多事务。如果智能设备更多地走进机舱，那么我们未来的飞行体验将会更加安全与智能，只需基础的操作技能，即使不经过专业的飞行训练，普通人也可以徜徉天空，方便得就像驾驶一辆私人轿车。
在天气不佳时，飞行员的外界视野状况让飞机降落变得危险，但是Skylens可以改善这种状况，Elbit Systems公司开发的这款头戴显示屏设备能够获得更加清晰的视野空间。
这款设备像一个笨重的滑雪镜，但是它能优化飞行视觉系统，在飞行员眼前显示跑道和地平线数据，可以让飞行员提高安全意识，增强其对飞行状况的控制，提高起飞和降落的性能，比起其他的CRT、LCD显示器，它使用更加方便。
该系统目前处于预先适航认证阶段，计划将在2016年底服役。
也许在若干年后，驾驶飞机会是简单而轻松的工作。飞行员只需戴上头盔，将目光集中在跑道上，就能够用意念驾驶飞机。或许听起来遥不可及，然而现实中，相关研究已经在进行。
在德国慕尼黑理工大学和柏林工业大学共同研发出的意念飞行设备的飞行测试中，飞行员只需戴上“意念头盔”，就能用他们的意念操控飞机。这种头盔能够读取来自佩戴者大脑的电波信号，而后利用专门的算法将信号转化成电脑指令。测试中，有不同飞行经验的7人在飞行模拟器中，其中一个人没有任何驾驶飞机的经验，很显然，他们可以精确地进行导航，并通过飞行驾驶执照考试。
“这是由欧盟支持的Brainflight项目，我们的愿景是让更多的人能够加入飞行行列中，”慕尼黑理工大学该项目负责人——航空工程师蒂姆·弗里克（Tim Fricke）解释道，“让大脑控制飞行，会让飞行这件事变得更加容易。 这将减少飞行员的工作负荷，从而提高飞行安全。飞行员将会有更多的自由在驾驶舱管理其他事务。” 虽然这个令驾驶飞机变得更容易的技术才刚刚起步，但它似乎预示了驾驶飞机的门槛会越来越低。
New Energy Powered Aircraft
Energy consumption has been a Cvexing issue in the neck for the transportation industry， particularly for air transportation industry. According to the International Energy Agency， air transport currently accounts for 2.2% of the global carbon dioxide emission. Without drastic measures， the figure will continue to rise， reaching 800 million tons of emission by 2020， equals to 10% of the global total by 2050.
Already widely adopted in the auto industry， new energy has also found its way into the air transportation industry. Companies are developing new aircraft based on new energy such as bio-fuel or hydrogen fuel， some of which have completed test flying. As the technology matures and cost reduces， these aircraft will win the future aircraft market by their eco-friendly characteristics.
E-Generation — Electronic Aircraft
On 25 April 2014， Airbus debuted its electronic aircraft E-Fan on the “E-Aircraft Day” in Bordeaux， France. The two-seater electronic aircraft is jointly developed by EADS and Aero Composites Saintonge （ACS） and powered by two packs of 250V lithium battery made by Kokam. The batteries， which require one hour to be fully charged， are installed in the wings. In case they run out， built-in spare batteries will provide enough power for an emergency landing.
“The introduction of the E-Fan electric aircraft represents another strategic step forward in EADS' aviation research. We are committed to exploring leading-edge technologies that will yield future benefits for our civil and defense products，” said Jean Botti， Chief Technical Officer （CTO）， at EADS. He explained that the E-Fan project will be paving the way for the development of future hybrid power 70-90 seater regional jet. He believed that the future of E-aircraft is not far away and that the reform and innovation of the aviation industry will start with electrification. Emmanuel Joubert， leader of the four engine electronic aircraft project at EADS expressed similar optimisim， “Electric power is alrealy a well applied technology， as in electric cars.”
The electric power system of E-Fan works basically in the same way as a hybrid car. During takeoff， the batteries and the generator will provide power for the turbofan， and at cruise speed， the generator will store surplus electricity into the batteries while powering the turbofan.
E-Fan can only fly for half of an hour， but Airbus is not worried about its applicability， as it can be used for test flight， short haul mission， training， or acrobatic flight. According to Jean Botti， as the technology matures for mass production， the aircraft can be sold to training schools or acrobatic pilots. “E-Fan will be produced earliest in 2017 in our facility in Bordeaux， France.” Perhaps in the very near future， we would be able to find and fly the aircraft in a training school.
Pursuing the Sun — Solar-Powered Aircraft
In the outer space， solar energy is already the main power for spacecraft. Within the atmosphere， researchers are now trying to leverage the energy to power aircraft. On July 7th， 1981， the first solar-powered aircraft- Solar Challenger， crossed the English Channel for a 165km journey at 11，000 feet and 30 miles/h. It is still premature for the universal application of solar power in air transport， but it is increasingly referred to as an important energy source in the discussions of new energy.
Recently， André Borschberg， a Swiss pilot and co-founder of Solar Impulse， introduced the Solar Impulse 2 to the Chinese audience in the Swiss Embassy to China. He announced that he will fly this aircraft on a round-the-world trip in 2015. The Solar Impulse 2 has overcome the biggest challenge to solar powered aircraft - night flight， making “perpetual flight” possible.
Night flight represents the core capability of solar-powered aircraft but also presents the biggest technical barrier. “If the stored solar power could not support night flight， the aircraft would fall out of the sky. To fly both day and night， the aircraft has to be very energy efficient.” The wingspan of Solar Impulse is extended to 72 meters， wider than that of Boeing 747-8I， in order to install more batteries. Solar battery panels will absorb energy during day flight at around 9，000 feet. The longer the flight， the more energy will be reserved.
“Solar Impulse is not only scientific and innovative， it is also philosophical. It will improve the public awareness of preserving the resources on earth”， said Bertrand Piccard， the legendary co-founder of Solar Impulse， which made the first solar-powered aircraft in June 2009.
In 2010， the aircraft achieved the first ever 26-hour flight by a solar-powered aircraft， followed by international flights in 2011 and inter-continental flights in 2012. On May 3， 2013， a Solar Impulse departed California， stopped over Arizona， Texas， Missouri， Ohio， and Washington， and arrived at New York. Success of the multi-stage flight renewed the two co-founders’s confidence in creating more miracles in the field. Solar Impulse boasts of a multi-disciplinary team of 80 specialists from six countries， assisted by about 100 outside advisers and a 12-year history of analysis， design， computing， simulation， manufacturing， and testing. It has received an investment of 170 million USD from 90 partners， none of which from China despite the aggressive growth of Chinese solar energy companies around the world. But this is one of the reasons that draw André Borschberg to China. “We are still looking for partners， if Chinese enterprises want to be involved， we could surely conduct various cooperation.”
Today， the new technologies of Solar Impulse have found application in other industries. According to André Borschberg， “At high altitude， the temperature outside the aircraft is minus 40 degrees， we must use the most advanced heat insulating materials to minimize heat loss and to maximize energy efficiency. This technology has been applied to the making of fridges. There are many other examples where the technologies in Solar Impulse have been applied to other fields.”
Bertrand Piccard hopes that with his exploration， people can realize that if aircraft could fly around the world without oil， then nothing is impossible for alternate energy use in other transport vehicles. André Borschberg believes that Solar Impulse is not about carrying people， but about sending a message， demonstrating what we could do with clean energy. And it all started with a dream， a passion， and a love. In such an adventure， we have to use clean technology to inspire the public to face the challenges of our times. In his words， “If we do not start today， we will never get to tomorrow.”
Flying Cars
While André Borschberg is exploring solar-powered aircraft， his good friend， Elon Musk， CEO of Tesla， is tryin to the change the world with not only electric cars， but flying cars that can be used in everyday life.
"We could definitely make a flying car， but that's not the hard part. The hard part is， how do you make a flying car that's super safe and quiet？ Because if it's a howler， you're going to make people very unhappy."
Although his ambition is yet to materialize， he has ponited out the two biggest challenges for mass producing flying cars —safetey and comfort. Whoever resolves the two issues could gain a first mover advantage in expanding the auto industry from two-dimensional to three-dimensional. According to Robert Mann， an airline industry analyst， the flying car has always had a special place in the American imagination. Inventors have been trying to make them since the 1930s. Today we have come closer than ever before we make it happen. Fixed Wing – Transition
Unlike Telsa， the Massachusetts based company Teffafugia is already developing a two seat “aircraft” named Transition. With foldable wings， it is not only road worthy， but could also fly in the air.
As traffic jam is a norm today， a flying car like “Lola” in the Agents of Shield will draw the envious look from many. And Transition is turning that dream into reality.
Successfully test flied in 2009， Transition can turn from drive mode to flight mode within 30 seconds and reach a flight speed of 100km/h and a distance of 700 km. The designer of the car， Dr. Carl Dietrich， is a researcher at MIT Aerospace and Aeronautics. He started working on Transition since 2006， “When I said I was researching on flying car， people would just laugh it off， but I am really working on it.”
The delivery of Transition has been delayed time and again due to supplier and assembly line issues. Carl Dietrich has came to China in 2013 and 2014 looking for partners. President of its Chinese dealer， Silk Wings Aviation， Mrs. Zhang Nu， has been visiting around with him to get the fifth round of financing for its mass production and other technical support.
In Zhang Nu’s opinion， flying car has a promising prospect. When city streets become de facto parking lots， flying seems to be the only practical solution. “Transtion has not only obtained light aircraft certification from FAA， but also certification from NHTSA. Although it may take a long while for it to complete the proceduces in China， the flying car will bring huge social benefit. And we hope to get support from new partners.”
Q&A with Carl Dietrich
U-Jet： What motivates you to invent a flying car？
Carl： A flying car can help people control their own scheduel， get to their destinations faster， safer， and more efficient than current ways of transport. I think it has huge potential.
U-Jet： When can we expect its mass production？ What will be the price？ And how many orders have you got？
Carl： Transition now has an orderbook of 100. The first ones are to be delivered in the second quarter of 2016， and the base price is 279，000 USD.
U-Jet： How do you ensure the saftey performance of Transition？
Carl： Transition is equipped with GPS， a compute based auto control system， and a satellite control technology. Transition pilots are not required to master sophiscated manoeuvring skills like aircraft pilots， but they still need at least 20 hours of flight training. The new generation computer could also help its user to plan an appropriate route based on its data network to stay away from other aircraft or barriers. Users only need to learn basic knowledge such as when and where to land safely. how to react to emergencies， and how to open the parachute system under urgent circumstances.
U-Jet： What kind of people would like flying cars？
Carl： Our flying car is priced lower than traditional two-seater aircraft and at the same level as Ferrai super cars. I think we will have customers who are cost-consious， as Transition burns usual unleaded gas， which is fuel efficient and convenient， and customers who look for entertainment， as it is cool to drive a flying car. Generally， our customers should be people who love freedom and look for flexible and fun products.
U-Jet： Transition needs at least a 500 meter runway to take off， how will you address this limitation？
Carl： Our next generation product—TF-X is a verticle take off and landing vehicle， so it can be used in various locations. But because the large amount of air required to provide lift for vertical take off and landing may cause damage to surrounding cars， a space with the size of a tennis court is recommended. In addition， TF-X will be an electric and fuel hyrid car with auto pilot capability. The development of TF-X will take 8-10 years.
Challenges Facing Transition
Noise and Emission： Applying the noise and emission standard of aircraft， Transition could not be as comfortable and environmental friendly as cars.
Runway： FAA requires the flying car to take off and land in GA airports. Except for a few states， there is strict limitations for aircraft take off and landing in the U.S.， not to mention in China. One of the selling points of Transition is its ability to address traffic jam， but the requirement on runway makes it impossible to operate.
Certification and License： In China， Transition has to obtain both aircraft certification and car license， abide by regulations of both markets， and requires its pilot to have both a pilot certificate and a driver’s license. Regulation on flying cars is not yet in place， which is not likely to change before its mass production in 2016.
Rotor Wing—PAL-V
PAL-V One is a roadable aircraft designed and made by a Dutch company PAL-V（personal air and land vehicle）. The aircraft requires 200 meters to take off， and unlike Transition， it runs on three wheels. The aircraft is powered by a tail rotor and a overhead rotor. The three wheel PAL-V looks like a cross country motorcycle with helicopter features.
The two-seat tipping chassis PAL-V offers a mximun ground speed of 180km/h. The rotors could be retracted when not in use to improve aerodynamics and safety.
Unlike normal helicopters， the rotor of this flying car can continue operating with only aerodynamic force， which means， even if the engines shut down during flight， the rotor can still ensure a safety landing. The aircraft is also equipped with GPS and a radar system.
Its inventor John Bakker says： “It is a sleek car. In countries and regions where infrastructure is not well developed， flying car is safer and more convenient than normal vehicles. In developed areas， it could save people a lot of time on the road.” PLV hopes that the aircraft can be used for business missions such as emergency service or business surveillance， rather than for private use.
The delivery of the aircraft has also been postponed many times. Launched in 2006， prototype made in 2009， and test flied in 2012， the project has never met its target of marketing in 2012 and mass production in 2014. There is still no timeline for its time to the market.
Wearable Equipments
Common sense tells us that we have to be in some kind of equipment in order to overcome gravitiy and fly. But the advent of some electronic devices and wearable equipments has expanded the definition of flying. We can now either experience the feeling of flying on the ground or pilot an airplane with our minds. Smartphone has been playing an increasingly important role in our lives， will smart systems change our perception of flying as well？
Wearable Aircraft
The airline industry is also getting smarter. Smart gadgets like Google Project Glass， which is GPD， camera and smartphone all in one， for example， is used to send text messages， take and upload photos， search weather conditions， and record information during flight or maintenance. There are also many smart products designed specifically for flying.
Brainflight – Mind-Controlled Flying
In a few years， piloting an aircraft may become as easy as thinking commands. Simply put on an “mind control helmet”， and you will be able to pilot an aircraft with your thoughts.
In a test of the equipment jointly developed by the Technical University of Munich and the Technical University of Berlin， pilots can control an aircraft with their minds. Throught the helmet， the brain waves of the pilots are captured and converted through an algorithm to computer commands. In the test， 7 pilots， with varying degrees of experience， including one with no experience at all， controls and navigates with surprising accuracy. “A long-term vision of the project is to provide more people access to fly，" said Tim Fricke， the manager of this project at Technical University of Munich， "through the brain control， fly could get easier. This would reduce the work load of the pilot， thereby increase security."
The technolgy is just taking off， but it may suggest that the threshold to become a pilot may be lowered over time.
Skylens— Wearable Head-up Display
Aircraft landing during bad weather may be dangerous as the vision of pilots could be impared. The Skylens wearable head-up display can prevent this with its enhanced flight vision.
According to its maker， Elbit System， Skylens can improve pilot safety awareness， enhance vision of surrounding environment， and improve performance during take off and landing with its enhanced fligth vision system，. It also offers more head space than other CRT or LCD.
The equipment can be retrofitted to any existing airplanes with a simple installation.
一些或许会彻底改变飞行生活的概念飞机、飞行设备已经悄然问世。
空客旗下100%使用电能的飞机即将投产，
完全利用太阳能进行昼夜不间断飞行的飞机也吸引了诸多飞行爱好者的关注，电动汽车特斯拉的总裁马克斯试图打造舒适、安全的飞行汽车，
德国人正在研制用意念就能操控飞机的飞行控制系统……
在不久的将来，
这些新技术或许会将公务机、民航的发展引入全新的领域，
甚至改变人们对飞行的理解。
When aircraft manufacturers are upgrading their aircraft with extended fuselage or improved fuel efficiency， some concept aircraft or flying equipment that may fundamentally change our flying lives are quietly being developed. The 100% electric aircraft from Airbus will soon hit the market； a solar-powered aircraft that could fly day and night has been launched； the CEO of Tesla is building a safe and comfortable flying car； the German is developing a mind-controlled flight system … In the near future， these new technologies will be bringing business jets and civil airliners to brand new levels， or even change our perception of flying.
交通领域的能源消耗一直是困扰各国的重要问题，尤其以航空业为甚。根据一份世界能源署发布的数据显示，空中交通约占全球碳排放总量的2.2%，且该数字正在不断升高，如不采取行动，预计到2020年航空业的碳排放量将达到8亿吨，2050年会占据全球排放总量的10%。
汽车界新能源利用开展得如火如荼，航空业也紧随其后，越来越多的企业开始开发利用生物能源、氢燃料等新能源的飞机，其中一些甚至已经成功翱翔天空。或许只欠成本降低、技术成熟的东风，这些飞机就能借新能源的利箭，在环保的战役中攻城拔寨。
在新能源飞机中，除了通常的节能环保、效率高之外，电动飞机具有独特的优势。其由于电机作用，噪声和振动水平很低，是降低此类污染的绝佳选择。此外，电动飞机还更安全可靠，杜绝了燃油泄漏等事故隐患，而且结构简单、操作更加简便，维修也相对易行，费用经济。另外，电动飞机可以获得更佳的设计效果，采用创新布局，满足特殊需求。
今年4月25日，空客公司在法国波尔多举行了“电动飞机日”活动，旗下E-Fan电动飞机首次公开演示飞行。
这款由空客公司旗下的欧洲航空防务与航天集团（EADS）和法国航空制造商ACS公司联合开发的双座纯电动飞机，由韩国Kokam公司制造的两组250V锂离子聚合电池供电，这些电池被安排在机翼内侧部分，充满电只需要1小时。如果在空中电量耗尽，机载备用电池可供紧急降落。
空客公司首席技术官让·博迪（Jean Botti）表示：“这款飞机的推出代表我们的技术发展迈出了战略性的一步，我们还将致力于开发对国防以及民用有益的技术。”这位前通用汽车电动汽车研发团队的工程师，对E-Fan的前景侃侃而谈，并解释其实际上是在为今后开发用于70～90座支线客机的混合动力发动机做技术储备。在他看来，在电气化技术普惠的今天，电动飞机梦变得不再遥远，航空业的改革与创新很可能从电气化开始。EADS曾领导研发4引擎电动飞机Cri-Cri的负责人伊曼纽尔·朱伯特（Emmanuel Joubert ）也表达了同样的看法，他说：“今天，电力驱动是相当好的应用技术，比如电动汽车。”
事实上，这种动力系统和电混动力汽车的原理基本一致，在动力需求最大的起飞阶段，电池和电力发动机将为涡扇机提供全部的动力；等平稳飞行时，电力发动机在保证涡扇动力的同时，可将一部分多余的电力储存进电池。
目前，E-Fan的续航时间并不长，只能支持实际飞行半个小时左右，但空客认为这并不是问题，因为其主要用于试验或者执行任务的短途飞行、飞行员的特技飞行表演以及初学者的飞行训练。
博迪乐观地预测，等它的技术足够成熟，并且能够批量生产，就可以将它推销到飞行学校或特技表演队。“我们将最快于2017年年底在法国西南部的波尔多工厂生产E-Fan。”他说。或许，在不久的将来，我们就可以在航校里一窥它的风采，并且驾驶它学习飞行技术了。
太阳能已经是外太空飞行器最基本的能源，在大气层以内，技术人员也正在尝试让它挑战空气阻力与地心引力，为飞机提供强大的动力。1981年7月7日，第一架以太阳能为动力的飞机——美国“太阳挑战者”号，以平均每小时48千米的速度、3350米的飞行高度，完成了全长265千米的旅行，成功跨越英吉利海峡。如今，将太阳能视为一种成熟的空中能源还为时过早，但将它作为一种未来的高效能源，在新能源飞机研发中已越来越多地被提及。
近日，瑞士飞行员安德烈·博尔施伯格（André Borschberg）在瑞士驻华使馆介绍了该公司新一代太阳能飞机 “阳光动力2”号。他将于2015年驾驶这款飞机进行环球飞行。这款飞机克服了太阳能飞机天生的弱点——夜间飞行，使得“永久”航行成为可能。 夜间飞行是太阳能飞机最核心的性能体现，同时也是其最难逾越的技术障碍。“如果太阳能储备不能支持夜晚飞行，那么飞机就会因丧失动力而坠落。”在博尔施伯格看来，阳光动力号已经基本解决了这一问题。“为了能够实现真正的昼夜不停飞行，这就要求飞机的能效必然非常的高。”为了装更多的电池，“阳光动力2”号飞机翼展达到72米，比传统最大飞机波音747-81更宽。在白天飞行的时候，太阳能电池板从太阳中汲取能量，可以飞到接近9000米的高度，飞得越久，电池储能就越多。
“阳光动力号（Solar Impulse）兼具科学及创新意义，同时也具有一定的哲学意义，它将提升社会大众共同保护地球资源的意识。”伯特兰·皮卡德（Bertrand Piccard）表示。阳光动力公司正是这位传奇人物在十多年前与博尔施伯格共同创立的。他们在2009年6月制造出首架太阳能飞机。
2010年，阳光动力号成为全球首架实现26小时昼夜飞行的太阳能飞机，并在2011年和2012年先后完成跨国和跨洲飞行。2013年5月3日，阳光动力号从美国加利福尼亚州出发，途中在亚利桑那、德克萨斯、密苏里、俄亥俄和华盛顿特区停留，最后在纽约完成飞行。这次飞行是历史性的，也为两人能够继续在太阳能飞机领域创造奇迹增加了信心与筹码。
该项目目前由80位跨学科团队专家、90个合作伙伴、100位左右顾问组成，项目经过12年的分析、设计、计算、模拟、制造和测试，已经投资1.7亿美元。尽管中国太阳能企业已经纵横捭阖于全球，但是12年来，该项目并未有中国企业的加入。这也是吸引博尔施伯格来到中国的原因之一。“我们还在不断寻找合作伙伴，如果有中国企业参与，我们当然可以开展多种合作。”他说。
现在，在阳光动力号中应用的一些新技术也在现有产业中得到了体现。“比如飞机飞到高空的时候舱外的温度是零下40摄氏度，我们必须采用最先进的隔热材料，使热量散发降到最低，这样才能使能效达到最高。这种技术现在已经用在制造冰箱上。还有很多其他的应用，都可以从阳光动力号延伸到其他领域。”博尔施伯格说。
皮卡德希望在他的尝试下，人们可以认识到如果连飞机都可以拒绝依赖石油，成功绕行地球一周，那么就没有人敢说，替代能源对于其他交通工具是不可实现的。博尔施伯格则认为，阳光动力号不是为了载人，而是为了传递消息，为了向人们展示利用清洁能源我们可以做什么，一切都源于梦想、激情和热爱。这样一次冒险必须通过使用清洁技术，激发社会热情，使公众直面我们这个时代所面临的各种挑战。用他的话来说就是：“如果今天不开始，那么永远都不会走入明天。”
有专家预计，40多年后，在解决了太阳能吸收、大幅提高电池功效之后，能够承载300名乘客的大型太阳能飞机有望投入运营。
当安德烈·博尔施伯格在太阳能飞机领域积极奔走时，他的好朋友——特斯拉公司CEO艾隆·马斯克（Elon Musk）不仅试图用电动汽车改变世界，也声称要打造能广泛应用于大众生活的飞行汽车。“我们显然可以造出一辆飞行汽车——但那并非难点。真正的难点在于，怎样让这辆飞行汽车具备卓越的安全性和安静性。原因是倘若这辆汽车声音隆隆，那么会使人不开心。”
虽然马斯克的宏愿尚未真正付诸实践，但他指出了飞行汽车用于生活的两大问题——安全性和舒适性，如果谁能有效解决这两个问题，就能抢占先机，将扁平化的汽车世界打造得更加立体。美国航空业分析师罗伯特·曼恩说，从上世纪30年代起，人们就念叨着想开车飞上天了，发明者们也在不断为此努力。显然，这个愿望从未像今天这样切近。
与马斯克现在只是过嘴瘾不同的是，位于美国马萨诸塞州的Terrafugia公司正在开发一款名为Transition的两座小型“飞机”。这款“飞机”不但拥有可折叠的机翼，而且拥有能够在公路上奔驰的车轮。
在路面拥堵已经成为社会常态的今天，仰望天空，若有一架如《神盾特工局》中“劳拉”一般的飞车呼啸而过，相信任何人都会对它垂涎三尺。只不过电视剧中是特技效果，Transition却能让梦想照进现实。
Transition在2009年试飞成功，它能够在30秒内由行驶模式变换为飞行模式，并实现100千米/小时的飞行速度，最远能够飞行700多千米。它的发明者卡尔·迪特里希（Carl Dietrich）博士是麻省理工学院（MIT）航空航天部的研究员，他从2006年开始研发Transition汽车。“当我说我在研究飞行汽车时，人们总会发出讥笑声，但是事实上我真的是很认真地在致力于此。”卡尔说。
因为供应商及生产线等问题，Transition一再推迟交付时间，卡尔在2013年、2014年两度来中国寻找合作者，他在中国的代理人——丝翼航空总裁张弩也陪同他四处奔走，以期获得第五轮融资的款项、可供量产的制造商或其他技术支持。
在张弩看来，飞行汽车有着广阔的前景，当城市道路成为巨大的停车场时，似乎只有离开地面才是真正的解决之道。“Transition不仅获得了美国联邦航空管理局关于轻型运动飞机的许可，还获得了美国国家公路交通安全管理局的认证。虽然在国内，走完这些流程、手续会非常困难，但我相信飞行汽车的社会效益将会非常好，我们也希望能够有合作者在这些方面提供帮助。”她说。
《私人飞机》：您发明飞行汽车的初衷是什么？
卡尔：飞行汽车可以让人们掌控自己的出行时间表，能够更快、更安全地到达目的地，比目前的日常出行更加有效率，我认为它拥有巨大的社会潜力。
《私人飞机》：何时飞行汽车能够大规模量产？它的售价是多少？现在有多少订单？
卡尔：Transition目前拥有100架订单，我们将在2016年的第二季度交付第一批产品，其基本价格为27.9万美元（约合173万元人民币）。
《私人飞机》：Transition如何保证它的安全性能？ 卡尔：Transition具有全球卫星定位系统、电子计算机自控系统以及卫星控制技术等高端科技装备，驾驶员无须掌握像飞机飞行员那样的高难驾驶技术。但在驾驶Transition之前需要有20小时以上的飞行训练。
新一代产品中的计算机还可以帮用户从数据网络中规划一条合适的飞行路径，以规避其他空中飞行器和障碍。用户只需要练习并掌握何时何地安全起降，对紧急情况做出反应，在紧急情况下，只需知道如何拉动手柄开启降落伞系统等基础知识即可。
《私人飞机》：哪些人会喜欢飞行汽车？
卡尔：我们这款飞行汽车的售价略低于传统的两座飞机，和法拉利等超跑持平，我想我们的客户有注重实用性的，因为Transition使用的是普通无铅汽油，能耗低且使用方便；另外还有客户是注重娱乐性的，驾驶飞行汽车相当酷炫。在一般情况下，我们的客户应该是喜好自由的，向往灵活、有趣产品的。
《私人飞机》：Transition需要在一条至少500米的跑道上起飞，这是它的限制所在，对这点如何改进？
卡尔：我们的下一代产品——TF-X是一款可以垂直起飞和降落的车辆，它所能应用的地点将更为广泛。但是飞机垂直起降时需要大量的空气来助推或缓冲，动力气流会对周边的汽车造成破坏，所以TF-X起降大致需要网球场般大小的地方。另外，TF-X还要实现电和燃油的混合动力驱动以及实现智能自动驾驶等。TF-X大约需要8～10年的研发。
Transition的问题标签
噪音：Transition采用飞机的噪音标准，无法达到汽车般的环保性和舒适性。
起降跑道：美国联邦航空管理局规定其必须在通航机场起降，在美国除了个别州，均对飞机的起降地点有限制，更不用提中国了。而且，Transition尽管卖点之一是解决拥堵问题，但跑道长度的限制注定这是一项不可能完成的任务。
证件与牌照：在中国，Transition必须具有飞机牌照和汽车牌照，遵从两种产品的市场管理，驾驶者也必须拥有飞机驾驶牌照和汽车驾驶牌照。在政府监管层面，这还是一项空白，一切需等2016年产品量产之后才能确定。
荷兰PAL-V欧洲公司设计制造的个人空地两用车PAL-V（personal air and land vehicle）一号，也是目前具有代表性的一款飞行汽车，它的起飞距离约200米。与Transition不同的是，它是由3个车轮带动在路面上行驶的，飞行则通过安装在身后的螺旋桨进行驱动，并依靠头顶上的水平旋翼提供升力，完成起飞。
三轮的造型让PAL-V像一辆越野摩托车，巨大的旋翼又昭示它有直升机的基因。PAL-V在路面的实际操控介乎摩托车和赛车之间，共有两个座椅，底盘采用倾斜设计，速度可达到每小时180千米。PAL-V在陆地上行进时，旋翼会自动折叠收拢，降低阻力，因此速度很快。
这款飞行汽车的可折叠旋翼可保证驾驶和着陆的安全性。与普通直升机不同，飞行汽车的叶轮在空中只需空气动力即可旋转。即使发动机在空中出现故障，顶部的叶轮也可继续旋转，使飞行汽车平稳降落而非突然下坠。GPS定位系统和雷达系统可保证其在空中的安全性。
飞行汽车的发明人约翰·巴克说：“这是辆很炫的车。在基础设施建设不完善的国家和地区，飞行汽车比普通交通工具更安全快捷。在发达地区，它则可以帮人们省下大量堵在路上的时间。”PAL-V公司希望在未来这款飞机可以用于任务执飞，如紧急服务和商业监管，而不是用于私人领域。
与Transition相同的是，这款飞行汽车的量产时间也一再延后，但可喜的是，在7月15日，它正式鸣锣开卖，售价29.5万美元（约合人民币183万元）
从去年开始，可穿戴设备就成为了科技界最热门的话题之一。像Google的“Project Glass”眼镜，集智能手机、GPS、相机于一身，在用户眼前展现实时信息，只要通过眼部动作就能拍照上传、收发短信、查询天气路况，不必用手操控，就能记录资讯。虽然可穿戴设备市场方兴未艾，但是与智能手机一样，在未来或许会迎来爆发式的增长，毕竟，电子设备生产的规模化使得这些产品的开发、量产成本较低，并能快速融入现有社会生态。
如今，这股旋风也吹到了航空业，由于可穿戴设备可以很大程度上解放双手，所以在飞机驾驶、维修等操作中都能得到有效利用，能够让操作者获得更大的自由度，来掌控更多事务。如果智能设备更多地走进机舱，那么我们未来的飞行体验将会更加安全与智能，只需基础的操作技能，即使不经过专业的飞行训练，普通人也可以徜徉天空，方便得就像驾驶一辆私人轿车。
在天气不佳时，飞行员的外界视野状况让飞机降落变得危险，但是Skylens可以改善这种状况，Elbit Systems公司开发的这款头戴显示屏设备能够获得更加清晰的视野空间。
这款设备像一个笨重的滑雪镜，但是它能优化飞行视觉系统，在飞行员眼前显示跑道和地平线数据，可以让飞行员提高安全意识，增强其对飞行状况的控制，提高起飞和降落的性能，比起其他的CRT、LCD显示器，它使用更加方便。
该系统目前处于预先适航认证阶段，计划将在2016年底服役。
也许在若干年后，驾驶飞机会是简单而轻松的工作。飞行员只需戴上头盔，将目光集中在跑道上，就能够用意念驾驶飞机。或许听起来遥不可及，然而现实中，相关研究已经在进行。
在德国慕尼黑理工大学和柏林工业大学共同研发出的意念飞行设备的飞行测试中，飞行员只需戴上“意念头盔”，就能用他们的意念操控飞机。这种头盔能够读取来自佩戴者大脑的电波信号，而后利用专门的算法将信号转化成电脑指令。测试中，有不同飞行经验的7人在飞行模拟器中，其中一个人没有任何驾驶飞机的经验，很显然，他们可以精确地进行导航，并通过飞行驾驶执照考试。
“这是由欧盟支持的Brainflight项目，我们的愿景是让更多的人能够加入飞行行列中，”慕尼黑理工大学该项目负责人——航空工程师蒂姆·弗里克（Tim Fricke）解释道，“让大脑控制飞行，会让飞行这件事变得更加容易。 这将减少飞行员的工作负荷，从而提高飞行安全。飞行员将会有更多的自由在驾驶舱管理其他事务。” 虽然这个令驾驶飞机变得更容易的技术才刚刚起步，但它似乎预示了驾驶飞机的门槛会越来越低。
New Energy Powered Aircraft
Energy consumption has been a Cvexing issue in the neck for the transportation industry， particularly for air transportation industry. According to the International Energy Agency， air transport currently accounts for 2.2% of the global carbon dioxide emission. Without drastic measures， the figure will continue to rise， reaching 800 million tons of emission by 2020， equals to 10% of the global total by 2050.
Already widely adopted in the auto industry， new energy has also found its way into the air transportation industry. Companies are developing new aircraft based on new energy such as bio-fuel or hydrogen fuel， some of which have completed test flying. As the technology matures and cost reduces， these aircraft will win the future aircraft market by their eco-friendly characteristics.
E-Generation — Electronic Aircraft
On 25 April 2014， Airbus debuted its electronic aircraft E-Fan on the “E-Aircraft Day” in Bordeaux， France. The two-seater electronic aircraft is jointly developed by EADS and Aero Composites Saintonge （ACS） and powered by two packs of 250V lithium battery made by Kokam. The batteries， which require one hour to be fully charged， are installed in the wings. In case they run out， built-in spare batteries will provide enough power for an emergency landing.
“The introduction of the E-Fan electric aircraft represents another strategic step forward in EADS' aviation research. We are committed to exploring leading-edge technologies that will yield future benefits for our civil and defense products，” said Jean Botti， Chief Technical Officer （CTO）， at EADS. He explained that the E-Fan project will be paving the way for the development of future hybrid power 70-90 seater regional jet. He believed that the future of E-aircraft is not far away and that the reform and innovation of the aviation industry will start with electrification. Emmanuel Joubert， leader of the four engine electronic aircraft project at EADS expressed similar optimisim， “Electric power is alrealy a well applied technology， as in electric cars.”
The electric power system of E-Fan works basically in the same way as a hybrid car. During takeoff， the batteries and the generator will provide power for the turbofan， and at cruise speed， the generator will store surplus electricity into the batteries while powering the turbofan.
E-Fan can only fly for half of an hour， but Airbus is not worried about its applicability， as it can be used for test flight， short haul mission， training， or acrobatic flight. According to Jean Botti， as the technology matures for mass production， the aircraft can be sold to training schools or acrobatic pilots. “E-Fan will be produced earliest in 2017 in our facility in Bordeaux， France.” Perhaps in the very near future， we would be able to find and fly the aircraft in a training school.
Pursuing the Sun — Solar-Powered Aircraft
In the outer space， solar energy is already the main power for spacecraft. Within the atmosphere， researchers are now trying to leverage the energy to power aircraft. On July 7th， 1981， the first solar-powered aircraft- Solar Challenger， crossed the English Channel for a 165km journey at 11，000 feet and 30 miles/h. It is still premature for the universal application of solar power in air transport， but it is increasingly referred to as an important energy source in the discussions of new energy.
Recently， André Borschberg， a Swiss pilot and co-founder of Solar Impulse， introduced the Solar Impulse 2 to the Chinese audience in the Swiss Embassy to China. He announced that he will fly this aircraft on a round-the-world trip in 2015. The Solar Impulse 2 has overcome the biggest challenge to solar powered aircraft - night flight， making “perpetual flight” possible.
Night flight represents the core capability of solar-powered aircraft but also presents the biggest technical barrier. “If the stored solar power could not support night flight， the aircraft would fall out of the sky. To fly both day and night， the aircraft has to be very energy efficient.” The wingspan of Solar Impulse is extended to 72 meters， wider than that of Boeing 747-8I， in order to install more batteries. Solar battery panels will absorb energy during day flight at around 9，000 feet. The longer the flight， the more energy will be reserved.
“Solar Impulse is not only scientific and innovative， it is also philosophical. It will improve the public awareness of preserving the resources on earth”， said Bertrand Piccard， the legendary co-founder of Solar Impulse， which made the first solar-powered aircraft in June 2009.
In 2010， the aircraft achieved the first ever 26-hour flight by a solar-powered aircraft， followed by international flights in 2011 and inter-continental flights in 2012. On May 3， 2013， a Solar Impulse departed California， stopped over Arizona， Texas， Missouri， Ohio， and Washington， and arrived at New York. Success of the multi-stage flight renewed the two co-founders’s confidence in creating more miracles in the field. Solar Impulse boasts of a multi-disciplinary team of 80 specialists from six countries， assisted by about 100 outside advisers and a 12-year history of analysis， design， computing， simulation， manufacturing， and testing. It has received an investment of 170 million USD from 90 partners， none of which from China despite the aggressive growth of Chinese solar energy companies around the world. But this is one of the reasons that draw André Borschberg to China. “We are still looking for partners， if Chinese enterprises want to be involved， we could surely conduct various cooperation.”
Today， the new technologies of Solar Impulse have found application in other industries. According to André Borschberg， “At high altitude， the temperature outside the aircraft is minus 40 degrees， we must use the most advanced heat insulating materials to minimize heat loss and to maximize energy efficiency. This technology has been applied to the making of fridges. There are many other examples where the technologies in Solar Impulse have been applied to other fields.”
Bertrand Piccard hopes that with his exploration， people can realize that if aircraft could fly around the world without oil， then nothing is impossible for alternate energy use in other transport vehicles. André Borschberg believes that Solar Impulse is not about carrying people， but about sending a message， demonstrating what we could do with clean energy. And it all started with a dream， a passion， and a love. In such an adventure， we have to use clean technology to inspire the public to face the challenges of our times. In his words， “If we do not start today， we will never get to tomorrow.”
Flying Cars
While André Borschberg is exploring solar-powered aircraft， his good friend， Elon Musk， CEO of Tesla， is tryin to the change the world with not only electric cars， but flying cars that can be used in everyday life.
"We could definitely make a flying car， but that's not the hard part. The hard part is， how do you make a flying car that's super safe and quiet？ Because if it's a howler， you're going to make people very unhappy."
Although his ambition is yet to materialize， he has ponited out the two biggest challenges for mass producing flying cars —safetey and comfort. Whoever resolves the two issues could gain a first mover advantage in expanding the auto industry from two-dimensional to three-dimensional. According to Robert Mann， an airline industry analyst， the flying car has always had a special place in the American imagination. Inventors have been trying to make them since the 1930s. Today we have come closer than ever before we make it happen. Fixed Wing – Transition
Unlike Telsa， the Massachusetts based company Teffafugia is already developing a two seat “aircraft” named Transition. With foldable wings， it is not only road worthy， but could also fly in the air.
As traffic jam is a norm today， a flying car like “Lola” in the Agents of Shield will draw the envious look from many. And Transition is turning that dream into reality.
Successfully test flied in 2009， Transition can turn from drive mode to flight mode within 30 seconds and reach a flight speed of 100km/h and a distance of 700 km. The designer of the car， Dr. Carl Dietrich， is a researcher at MIT Aerospace and Aeronautics. He started working on Transition since 2006， “When I said I was researching on flying car， people would just laugh it off， but I am really working on it.”
The delivery of Transition has been delayed time and again due to supplier and assembly line issues. Carl Dietrich has came to China in 2013 and 2014 looking for partners. President of its Chinese dealer， Silk Wings Aviation， Mrs. Zhang Nu， has been visiting around with him to get the fifth round of financing for its mass production and other technical support.
In Zhang Nu’s opinion， flying car has a promising prospect. When city streets become de facto parking lots， flying seems to be the only practical solution. “Transtion has not only obtained light aircraft certification from FAA， but also certification from NHTSA. Although it may take a long while for it to complete the proceduces in China， the flying car will bring huge social benefit. And we hope to get support from new partners.”
Q&A with Carl Dietrich
U-Jet： What motivates you to invent a flying car？
Carl： A flying car can help people control their own scheduel， get to their destinations faster， safer， and more efficient than current ways of transport. I think it has huge potential.
U-Jet： When can we expect its mass production？ What will be the price？ And how many orders have you got？
Carl： Transition now has an orderbook of 100. The first ones are to be delivered in the second quarter of 2016， and the base price is 279，000 USD.
U-Jet： How do you ensure the saftey performance of Transition？
Carl： Transition is equipped with GPS， a compute based auto control system， and a satellite control technology. Transition pilots are not required to master sophiscated manoeuvring skills like aircraft pilots， but they still need at least 20 hours of flight training. The new generation computer could also help its user to plan an appropriate route based on its data network to stay away from other aircraft or barriers. Users only need to learn basic knowledge such as when and where to land safely. how to react to emergencies， and how to open the parachute system under urgent circumstances.
U-Jet： What kind of people would like flying cars？
Carl： Our flying car is priced lower than traditional two-seater aircraft and at the same level as Ferrai super cars. I think we will have customers who are cost-consious， as Transition burns usual unleaded gas， which is fuel efficient and convenient， and customers who look for entertainment， as it is cool to drive a flying car. Generally， our customers should be people who love freedom and look for flexible and fun products.
U-Jet： Transition needs at least a 500 meter runway to take off， how will you address this limitation？
Carl： Our next generation product—TF-X is a verticle take off and landing vehicle， so it can be used in various locations. But because the large amount of air required to provide lift for vertical take off and landing may cause damage to surrounding cars， a space with the size of a tennis court is recommended. In addition， TF-X will be an electric and fuel hyrid car with auto pilot capability. The development of TF-X will take 8-10 years.
Challenges Facing Transition
Noise and Emission： Applying the noise and emission standard of aircraft， Transition could not be as comfortable and environmental friendly as cars.
Runway： FAA requires the flying car to take off and land in GA airports. Except for a few states， there is strict limitations for aircraft take off and landing in the U.S.， not to mention in China. One of the selling points of Transition is its ability to address traffic jam， but the requirement on runway makes it impossible to operate.
Certification and License： In China， Transition has to obtain both aircraft certification and car license， abide by regulations of both markets， and requires its pilot to have both a pilot certificate and a driver’s license. Regulation on flying cars is not yet in place， which is not likely to change before its mass production in 2016.
Rotor Wing—PAL-V
PAL-V One is a roadable aircraft designed and made by a Dutch company PAL-V（personal air and land vehicle）. The aircraft requires 200 meters to take off， and unlike Transition， it runs on three wheels. The aircraft is powered by a tail rotor and a overhead rotor. The three wheel PAL-V looks like a cross country motorcycle with helicopter features.
The two-seat tipping chassis PAL-V offers a mximun ground speed of 180km/h. The rotors could be retracted when not in use to improve aerodynamics and safety.
Unlike normal helicopters， the rotor of this flying car can continue operating with only aerodynamic force， which means， even if the engines shut down during flight， the rotor can still ensure a safety landing. The aircraft is also equipped with GPS and a radar system.
Its inventor John Bakker says： “It is a sleek car. In countries and regions where infrastructure is not well developed， flying car is safer and more convenient than normal vehicles. In developed areas， it could save people a lot of time on the road.” PLV hopes that the aircraft can be used for business missions such as emergency service or business surveillance， rather than for private use.
The delivery of the aircraft has also been postponed many times. Launched in 2006， prototype made in 2009， and test flied in 2012， the project has never met its target of marketing in 2012 and mass production in 2014. There is still no timeline for its time to the market.
Wearable Equipments
Common sense tells us that we have to be in some kind of equipment in order to overcome gravitiy and fly. But the advent of some electronic devices and wearable equipments has expanded the definition of flying. We can now either experience the feeling of flying on the ground or pilot an airplane with our minds. Smartphone has been playing an increasingly important role in our lives， will smart systems change our perception of flying as well？
Wearable Aircraft
The airline industry is also getting smarter. Smart gadgets like Google Project Glass， which is GPD， camera and smartphone all in one， for example， is used to send text messages， take and upload photos， search weather conditions， and record information during flight or maintenance. There are also many smart products designed specifically for flying.
Brainflight – Mind-Controlled Flying
In a few years， piloting an aircraft may become as easy as thinking commands. Simply put on an “mind control helmet”， and you will be able to pilot an aircraft with your thoughts.
In a test of the equipment jointly developed by the Technical University of Munich and the Technical University of Berlin， pilots can control an aircraft with their minds. Throught the helmet， the brain waves of the pilots are captured and converted through an algorithm to computer commands. In the test， 7 pilots， with varying degrees of experience， including one with no experience at all， controls and navigates with surprising accuracy. “A long-term vision of the project is to provide more people access to fly，" said Tim Fricke， the manager of this project at Technical University of Munich， "through the brain control， fly could get easier. This would reduce the work load of the pilot， thereby increase security."
The technolgy is just taking off， but it may suggest that the threshold to become a pilot may be lowered over time.
Skylens— Wearable Head-up Display
Aircraft landing during bad weather may be dangerous as the vision of pilots could be impared. The Skylens wearable head-up display can prevent this with its enhanced flight vision.
According to its maker， Elbit System， Skylens can improve pilot safety awareness， enhance vision of surrounding environment， and improve performance during take off and landing with its enhanced fligth vision system，. It also offers more head space than other CRT or LCD.
The equipment can be retrofitted to any existing airplanes with a simple installation.