Just to clear up the quote in the OP, my point is that aircraft are becoming increasingly mmore expensive.
Of course the purchase price is only one cost. Add maintenance, fuel and insurance and unless you’re flying 300 hours per year it’s better to rent. But 300 hours/year is do-able. I used to work with a guy who lived in Big Bear and commuted to Orange. He had a late-'60s Piper Cherokee 140. Cheap to buy (well, they used to be), and cheap to operate. He had his IFR ticket, so weather was seldom a problem.
Dad had two airplanes, which he put on leaseback. They made a profit for him when he wasn’t flying them, and he could use them whenever he wanted. We used to fly to Vegas for lunch.
The difference between a car and an airplane is that an airplane must be maintained. I’ve seen plenty of cars with not enough tread on the tires, in need of a tune-up, or with too many miles on the engine. I’ve seen a lot of cars with damaged or missing parts. I’ve driven with people who put up with electrical problems. How often do most people really change their oil? Many people maintain their vehicles meticulously. Many people can’t be bothered or they can’t afford it and they put it off until the car breaks down. Do that in an aircraft and you’re at least in violation of the regulations. Or you could die.
But considering the cost of a Skycar, and its lack of current utility, one could easily own an airplane, fly it to TBO, sell it, and get another one. Repeat until you’ve burned through the purchase price of the Skycar. (And we’re not even talking about maintenance on multiple turbine engines, insurance, fuel, etc.)
Although there are still a lot of GA airports around, airplanes aren’t really suited to short trips. I’ll throw out 100 mile minimum, just for a figure. Helicopters are better suited for short hops; and if you can get permission to land close to where you need to (and are allowed to by municipal laws), they can be convenient. But you’re going to spend at least $45,000 for a good (Experimental) Rotorway, or $150,000 or more for a mid-time Robinson. (As Sam Stone pointed out, the much cheaper single-seat Mini-500 does not have a stellar safety record.)
Now realistically, a Skycar would not have much utility in L.A. The airspace is too crowded and the trips are too short. Yeah, it sucks to be stuck in traffic; but you can always ride a motorcycle. I could see the utility of a ‘flying car’ if you lived in the Antelope Valley and needed to get to L.A. But then, you could just fly a relatively inexpensive light airplane instead.
Why don’t I own an airplane? For one thing, I prefer helicopters. For another thing, I’ve only recently gotten into a position where I could afford it. But there’s the house to pay for. And I’ve spent too much on my MGB. Right now I need something fast so that I can get from Northern Washington to Southern California. That’s a long trip in a Cessna 172 or 182. I’d have to go for a half-million-dollar production aircraft (with associated operating costs), or else get a fast homebuilt. I have neither the time nor the space to build one, and they’re expensive. Ones that are already built (Glassair, Lanceair) are pretty pricey. I could do with a Quicky Q200, but those aren’t easy to find. A Long-EZ would be good, and there are more of them around. But it’s still a long trip.
So for now I’m going to concentrate on paying for the house and finishing the car. There are also things afoot, and potentially afoot, in my personal life. But I’m keeping my eyes open.
