PAL-V International B.V. of the Netherlands, creator of the PAL-V Liberty car which flies as a gyrocopter with rotors which unfold from its roof, has taken up tenancy at London Oxford Airport. Headed by Sales Director Andy Wall, the Oxford office is also home to the UK’s first ‘fly drive’ simulator, bookable via appointment. Here, would-be purchasers can become familiar with the vehicle’s unique characteristics.
PAL-V (which stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle) is an early mover in the dynamic world of advanced air mobility. Led by Founder and CEO Robert Dingemanse and COO Mike van den Broek, PAL-V International first started collaborating with EASA over 10-years ago to help the agency determine certification standards for a car that turns into a light rotorcraft. Here, it was able to draw on the expertise and experience of international management who honed their engineering skills at Fokker Aircraft, GKN, Bentley, Ferrari and Porsche.
Working closely with EASA, PAL-V has been extracting data analysis, flight and drive tests and test data. Recently, the business, which employs over 120 people, started compliance demos to obtain its type certificate under EASA’s CS-27 status. This will ultimately see the Liberty approved in 80% of the world market including the U.S.A. Once this milestone has been reached it can start ramping up for customer deliveries.
The PAL-V Liberty seats two people in a fully enclosed cockpit. It can transition between road and air transport modes inside six minutes with its rotors secured into the vehicle. In drive mode, the Liberty has been designed for a maximum speed of around 160 km/h and a maximum range of 1315 km. In flight mode max cruise speed is 180 km/h with a maximum range of 400 to 500 km (equivalent to three hours with 30 minutes of reserve fuel).
