taxi

there is a report on the bbc news website about the possibility of there being air taxis in the very near future. this is partly due to the fact that there is soon to be what is called very light jets and this combined with improvements in aeronautical technology means that these new small planes can take off from smaller runaways and from locations that do not have air control towers.
apparently we can thank nasa for this.
to the science fiction fan in me it’s an appealing idea the world of blade runner, fifth element or minority report coming true before my eyes (oh hold on none of those were particularly nice world…..)

so just as everyone is bleating about the lack of investment in the transport infrastructure (recently the train companies have mentioned that fares will be going up even as they talk about cutting the services – they were talking about premium prices. bit of a surprise there for those who travel at peak time, paying peak time prices to discover that they might be paying more for a worse service. it is good to see that the free market works in such a way – there is a demand, so don’t fill it, reduce the service, put up prices and make more profit. not quite the way adam smith saw it working but as long as someone is getting rich...)
but i digress (no shit sherlock!)
anyway as i was saying just as everyone is bleating about the failing transport infrastructure – no investment, more cars on the roads, build more roads etc etc and just as climate scientist have been telling us that air travel is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect (it is there tammi no matter what dubya tells you….) we get this.
already i can see the headlines about air taxi congestion in the skies, the endless conversations about fuel prices, how this is a service for the wealthy and not for the ordinary person, the hue and cry when the first crash happens.

but most of all regardless of the new technology that makes these new generation of planes lighter and very economical to fly, no matter what types of electronics that nasa has placed into them to ensure that they can get from a to be safely and easily, regardless of all of that i am betting that you will not be able to get an air taxi to go south of the river.