Carter PAV

The Carter PAV, or Personal Air Vehicle, refers to a roadable aircraft design developed by Carter Aviation Technologies. The core concept behind the Carter PAV is to create an aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) that can also be driven on roads, combining the advantages of both airplanes and automobiles.

The Carter PAV differentiates itself from many other roadable aircraft concepts through its use of a slowed rotor/compound aircraft approach. This involves a large-diameter, high-inertia rotor system for efficient vertical lift during takeoff and landing. During forward flight, the rotor is slowed significantly, and lift is primarily generated by fixed wings. Propulsion is then provided by a separate propeller. This slowed rotor system aims to mitigate the drag penalties associated with traditional helicopter rotor systems at higher speeds.

Key design features typically associated with Carter PAV concepts include:

• Rotor System: A large-diameter rotor designed for vertical takeoff and landing.
• Wings: Fixed wings for generating lift during forward flight.
• Propeller: A pusher propeller for forward propulsion.
• Roadable Configuration: The ability to fold or retract wings and rotor components to achieve a street-legal configuration for driving on roads.
• Suspension and Steering: Road-going vehicle suspension and steering systems for surface mobility.

The Carter PAV represents an ongoing engineering effort with the goal of creating a practical and efficient flying car. The development faces challenges related to regulatory hurdles, achieving acceptable performance in both air and ground modes, weight management, and cost. As of the present time, the Carter PAV design is still under development, and no commercially available model has been released. The design aims to address issues of convenience, traffic congestion, and travel time by providing an integrated transportation solution.