Is the Valkyrie Co50 a test case for the FAA’s willingness to in**vate?
You wouldn’t think that an iPad in an airplane is a big deal, but when it’s used as part of flight control, it’s **t only big, it’s verboten.
Three months ago, Cobalt aircraft made a big splash when it introduced the Valkyrie Co50, a Canard-style five seater, with ***y looks and record-shattering speed.
The Valkyrie Co50 can fly at up to 260 k**ts (roughly 299 MPH), significantly faster than other single-engine aircraft, which typically cruise at a max of roughly 242 k**ts. The plane stands at 30 feet long and 10 feet high, with a wingspan of 30 feet. Its unusual design, forward stabilizer and rear-positioned engine promised an usually smooth ride with, even in low altitudes, little-to-**-chance of a stall. According to Cobalt, 30% of fatal aircraft accidents are in low altitude stalls, a claim supported by the the Air Safety Institute's 2012 general aviation accidents study. Read more...