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I'm a little sad this article doesn't do any analysis on why or why not such a large pax chopper would be viable. Is there any hope that eVTOL drones can do wh

I'm a little sad this article doesn't do any analysis on why or why not such a large pax chopper would be viable. Is there any hope that eVTOL drones can do what this was supposed to, namely hops between near cities and taking people places without large runways?

nradov 2y ago
Well obviously it's viable in the sense that it could fly. But aviation projects in the USSR were based more on the whims of Party leaders than on any sort of rational economic viability. Current designs for eVTOL aircraft are very short ranged due to limited battery capacity. At most they'll be used by a few wealthy passengers for short hops within highly congested cities. And they won't be drones; it will be many years before the FAA even considers certifying drones for carrying paying passengers, especially in airspace where VFR aircraft operate ("see and avoid"). Human pilots will be in command.
- fnord77 2y ago
  the spruce goose could fly, too. But it wasn't viable
bluGill 2y ago
What is wrong with a train for short trips? There is nothing wrong with 1825 ideas with some small modernization (electric trains are still 1800s technology - though these days I would add autonomy which is still 1990s technology in trains unlike most places where it is still science fiction)
- 0x457 2y ago
  Nothing wrong with trains. Trains are cool. Railroads however...
  - moffkalast 2y ago
    The noise pollution that comes with trains is pretty ghastly too. Living next to a train track is just complete hell if you want to ever leave your windows open, cause every 30 minutes you won't be able to hear yourself think for about a minute. Road traffic is at least constant so you can sort of filter it out. Subways and trams are get a pass though.
    - Daz1 2y ago
      True, and the way it reverberates from surrounding buildings is so much worse than road noise. Source: live next to a 5 lane railway, plus bullet train, plus monorail).
    - 0x457 2y ago
      I was actually referring to the complexity of building a new railroad (even single tracked on top of existing pathway) in the US. That said, can't say anything bad about LRT.

nradov 2y ago

Well obviously it's viable in the sense that it could fly. But aviation projects in the USSR were based more on the whims of Party leaders than on any sort of rational economic viability. Current designs for eVTOL aircraft are very short ranged due to limited battery capacity. At most they'll be used by a few wealthy passengers for short hops within highly congested cities. And they won't be drones; it will be many years before the FAA even considers certifying drones for carrying paying passengers, especially in airspace where VFR aircraft operate ("see and avoid"). Human pilots will be in command.

fnord77 2y ago
the spruce goose could fly, too. But it wasn't viable

bluGill 2y ago

What is wrong with a train for short trips? There is nothing wrong with 1825 ideas with some small modernization (electric trains are still 1800s technology - though these days I would add autonomy which is still 1990s technology in trains unlike most places where it is still science fiction)

0x457 2y ago
Nothing wrong with trains. Trains are cool. Railroads however...
- moffkalast 2y ago
  The noise pollution that comes with trains is pretty ghastly too. Living next to a train track is just complete hell if you want to ever leave your windows open, cause every 30 minutes you won't be able to hear yourself think for about a minute. Road traffic is at least constant so you can sort of filter it out. Subways and trams are get a pass though.
  - Daz1 2y ago
    True, and the way it reverberates from surrounding buildings is so much worse than road noise. Source: live next to a 5 lane railway, plus bullet train, plus monorail).
  - 0x457 2y ago
    I was actually referring to the complexity of building a new railroad (even single tracked on top of existing pathway) in the US. That said, can't say anything bad about LRT.