First commercial electric aircraft

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JDNSW

No, it had one engine still working.

But Speedbird 9, after it lost all four engines over Bali in 1982 was estimated to have a gliding range of 91nm and a glide ratio of 15:1.

Jet aircraft have a rather good glide ratio.

---

Talking with a Pilot a while back, apparently the newer ones are not quite as good. More engine than wing!

At least they are better than the Mirage III, which was basically 'throw a brick out and then follow it down'.

Hyundai is to build electric flying cars for Uber from 2023. Melbourne will be one of the pilot cities, according to one report.
I wonder if a pilot's licence will be required.

Hyundai will make flying cars for Uber’s air taxi service - The Verge

Uber and Hyundai team up to put flying taxis in the sky - CNN

I expect that you will need a licence for the environment in which you are operating. In the same way that pilots of seaplanes also need a boating licence.

Flying taxis will certainly require a pilot's licence, with appropriate medicals, recency requirements, and restrictions on operation over built up areas.

It seems to me that the sort of service envisaged will require major changes to legislation and ANRs which are likely to take decades rather than years to implement - if ever.