Another flying car was successfully tested Enlarge

The PAL-V flying car made its first flight successfully.

Mazda CX-5: Today is Tomorrow "
| Agence France-PressePublié April 3, 2012 | Updated April 3, 2012 at 10:16
THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS - A "flying car" with three wheels up to 180 km / h on land and in the air was tested for the first time successfully in the Netherlands, announced Tuesday its Dutch manufacturer.

"The first flight of the prototype PAL-V was successfully conducted on a Dutch military base last month," said Robert Dingemanse to AFP, the director of the company PAL-V, installed in Raamsdonksveer in eastern the country.

The successful test flight was confirmed to AFP by the Delft University and the National Aerospace Laboratory, who developed the device in collaboration with engineers from the company PAL-V.

The autonomy of the PAL-V (Personal Air and Land Vehicle), a two-seat gyroplane (machine rotor, similar to a helicopter), is 1200 kilometers on land and 500 km in the air.Its blades can be folded when the craft is on the ground.

The PAL-V, which can fly at an altitude of 1200 meters, should be marketed in 2014 for a price between 250,000 and 300,000 euros ($ 330,000 and $ 400,000), according to Robert Dingemanse.

"What also makes it unique is the fact that it meets government standards for both routes in the air and on the road," he says. "There is therefore no need for new infrastructure."

The PAL will not, however, to escape the gridlock: they must leap of 165 meters to take off, needs a runway to land 30 meters and can be controlled only from an airport or fieldAviation.


"Before the trip through the skies was based on public transportation," stated Jacco Hoekstra, Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering of Delft University. "It will become much more personal."

Other companies have embarked on the development of flying cars, including the American Terrafugia. Moller International, also American, developing a personal aircraft for vertical takeoff and landing.

25-01-12 Company cars: a new update!
In December 2011, the government introduced new measures that significantly amends the calculation of the benefit in kind company car. The new formula takes into account the 'catalog value'.

As a reminder:
catalog value is the invoice value, options and VAT, net of rebates, discounts, price reductions and rebates
the new formula is: percentage of catalog value x CO2 x 6/7
For more details, please refer to our communication of 5 January 2012 and the related e-magazine.
The text is currently assumed that the same formula applies to used cars. So for second hand cars as well, the employer must be based on the original invoice for the value catalog.
However, these new provisions could have the unintended consequences the government. Thus, companies, why not, individuals might be tempted to sell cars for a new invoice price less and receive a lesser benefit in kind. Revenue for the Treasury could be affected.
The Minister thus sought to fill this gap in legislation. How? By decreasing the value of second hand vehicles through a mechanism established. It is expected that the value of vehicles decreased by 6% per year.
A question now arises concerning the amount to be used for the calculation and how this new provision will be enforced. Currently, no specific legislation has yet been written on the subject.
On its website, the Minister Vanackere indicates that this measure is intended to establish the benefit of any kind for used vehicles. The formula adopted in late 2011 and described above should not be changed.