|
In the March '98 issue of Air Sports International " The Monthly Magazine for Air Sports Enthusiasts" it was reported that
Mathias Klug, an aircraft instructor from a small town in western Germany had developed the only
vehicle in Europe to gain a road licence as well as an aircraft license. It was called the "Skyline Event". It apparently flew
like a conventional ultra-light aircraft and drove almost like a normal car. With just a few adjustments, the pilot could remove
the light, 11.5-metre wings from the two-seater plane and start his trip by land. Later, he simply returned to the airstrip,
stuck the wings back in their sockets and within a few minutes he was ready for take-off again.
Klug and his mechanic, Peter Weyer, used an ultra-light plane as the basis for the "Skyline Event". This aircraft already had
the basic requirements for road use, because an ultra-light can, of course, move from the aircraft hangar to the take-off strip
under its own steam.
But a great many changes had to be made before the flying machine could take to the open road. The plastic material of the body
work was reshaped and widened, the controls were expanded and the undercarriage adjusted for the new tasks. The German road
vehicle testing authority and licensing authority also demanded front headlights, turn indicators and rear lamps, as well
as a stable framework and a stronger braking system. They were also unhappy about the large propeller on the tail.
Accordingly, Klug put a protective cover over the rotor blades and made some other changes. For gound travel, he chose a scooter
engine and a rear wheel drive. The engine had only 8 HP, but was still big enough for the plane which weighed less than 200 kilos.
With that engine, the Skyline Event could reach a speed of 50 km per hour on the ground. If the pilot switched to the air
travel mode, a two-cylinder, two-stroke engine achieved 64 HP, making it possible to reach an air speed of 129 kmph.
After the road vehicle testing authority and the German transport ministry had given the green light, the ultra-light also passed
its individual inspection and in August of 1997, it finally received its official stamp of approval from the licensing authorities.
All that was required of the driver to take it on the open road was an ordinary private car driving license and a helmet. To take it in the air,
he needed an ultra-light pilot's license, which could be obtained after a six-month training period.
Klug said the "Skyline Event" would only go into production if he received at least 10 orders. At that time it would have cost
about 90,000 Deutch Marks (around $50,850), which he felt was not a vast sum, considering a normal ultra-light plane cost
between DM 50,000 and DM100,000. In 1997 dollars that amount was about $28,250 to $56,500.
"After all," said Klug, "it offers customers a car and a plane rolled into one".
Air Sports International - Edited and Published by Atul Dev (India) for:
Federation Aeronautique Internationale,
of Lausanne, Switzerland
Photo Above - Air Sports International
|
