Lirio Liu, the FAA’s new executive director of aircraft certification, tried to soothe concerns of the burgeoning urban mobility industry with a pledge for flexibility in certifying the new aircraft. Liu told the Revolution Aero conference in San Francisco on Monday that there is room in the current regs to accommodate new technologies and the agency will do its best to use that flexibility to keep the industry moving forward. “Despite regulatory gaps ... our ongoing certification work is possible because we can leverage our current regulatory framework,” Liu said. “We have flexibilities in that framework. We don't always use them, but we're getting better and better at doing that.”
Flexibility is good. Better yet would be for the government to remove itself entirely and free markets will work this out. What company would make a product designed to harm its users? Doing nothing is never considered when the government feels the urge to intervene. On this issue it’s irrelevant since there is no real demand for these coal-powered flivvers. In five years they will have been forgotten, just like the Terrafugias and other flying car belly flops. Pity is all the tax dollars wasted on this stuff. Anyone heard of “lost opportunity costs”?
Somebody needs to take the Uber approach and just start flying things around. Break all the rules, get public support from whinging young people, and start making money for Wall Street.
I can’t believe those jerks got away with it, but it seems they found the only effective way to fight government oppression. I guess it’s an age thing because I grew up clueless, had a brief grasp on the way things work (perhaps illusory), and now I fade back into cluelessness.
Funny thing, Uber itself is now an institution and can’t do it again. I know that much.
Electric taxis that have charge for 10 minutes at best. Wonder who has the balls or the lack of common sense to fly in these coffins. Rubber bands may be a more environmental solution than the batteries.
If there “is room in the regs for new technologies”, why did it take 11 years to approve G100 UL? It’s a little hard to believe her, knowing the FAA’s history.