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'What planet are they on? ' asks Nuttall

Wednesday, 20th July 2011

Flying cars, once strictly the preserve of science fiction, could amazingly become an overhead reality.

No, not an April Fool joke - just more of our money being cast to the winds by the EU.

For at this time of austerity this pie in the sky concept - 'myCopter' - is being funded by the tax payer to the tune of 4.2 million Euros.

"You really couldn't make it up," said UKIP Deputy Leader Paul Nuttall.

"I know I have used that expression before but this idea is so crazy, it's out of this world. Particularly at these times when hard working people are losing their jobs because of financial cutbacks.

"We all know that some sci-fi ideas have been developed in real life, such as the medical scanner in Star Trek. And if scientists want to develop flying cars that's fine by me - though with today's driving standards heaven help us!

"Flying cars were great fun in the Fifth Element movie but we really need to keep our feet on the ground."

"It cannot be right that taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet in the real world should be coughing up for this flight of fancy by boffins who seem to live on a different planet.

"The same land of make believe that out-of-touch EU bureaucrats inhabit," said Mr Nuttall, North West MEP.

"Of course the Eurocrats love it because of its potential to reduce greenhouse gasses and any Green project is seized on, regardless of cost or sense."

This EU project is being funded under  the 7th Framework Programme and among the five research bodies involved are Liverpool University and the
Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany.

The Flight Science and Technology group within Liverpool University's Department of Engineering is taking the lead into the flight simulation and training aspects of the project and are working 'towards making flying as accessible as driving.'

"Details about the project say it is to 'investigate the possibility of introducing Personal Aerial Vehicles (PAVs) into the skyways of many congested European cities'," explained Mr Nuttall.

"That may solve urban traffic congestion but it will obviously create other potential problems, such as mid-air collisions. Frankly I'd rather take my chances on the busy roads.

"It also talks of developing technologies 'to form a new transportation system for personal travel that uses the third dimension'. Now that's all very exciting stuff for boffins to play around with but the costs, which are bound to rise, should not be coming out of our pockets," said Mr Nuttall.

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