Bases in Coventry and Oxford to offer flying car lessons

A Dutch company that plans to sell flying cars has set up bases in Coventry and Oxford.

Pal-V is going through the final stages of testing and applying for licences and then plans to offer training to potential pilots at the two locations.

The Pal-V Liberty will cost just over £250,000 (€300,000) and the company hopes to sell them from 2022.

Chief Commercial Officer Marco van den Bosch said it would appeal to men and women with "James Bond in their heart".

Andy Wall, the company's sales director, said the company had been developing the car for 12 years and added: "It's getting so close".

The company already has permission to use the vehicle on the roads, but needs permission to use it in the air.

The car can be converted from light aircraft to car in about 10 minutes and drivers will need a pilot licence to fly them.

In driving mode the Liberty can go up to 99 mph (159 km/h), and in flight mode as a gyrocopter its maximum speed is 112mph (180km/h).

The company said it already had lots of orders and Mr Wall said they were being marketed at people who wanted something different, instead of another boat or supercar.

"We've got a lot of guys who really have got the dream of flying and we say this is the fastest way to become a pilot." He said.

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