Aircraft fuel energy is incredibly expensive. For example, for a four seater turboprop airplane, a 1 hour round trip can cost about $80 in aircraft fuel. A tw

Aircraft fuel energy is incredibly expensive. For example, for a four seater turboprop airplane, a 1 hour round trip can cost about $80 in aircraft fuel. A two seater electric powered gilder can do the same trip with $5 of electricity. If we could mass produce mini electric automated air taxi glider flocks, they might be more economical than large airplanes for domestic flights (not to mention a lot nicer!). Your typical 1970s airplanes that a lot people still fly are so simple compared to your typical $15'000 Yaris. You still need the jets for hopping over oceans although. AirAsia has flights down to .03/km per passenger. A car full of people would be cheaper by a factor of 3, but the typical case of 1 person in a car is actually less efficient. But a car is slower by a factor of 1:14, due to traffic, indirect routing and slower speeds.