Tecnam P2012T Traveller.

 Electric powered testing Halted.

This new Italian and U.S. based innovation P-Volt technical aircraft based on the successful P2012T, traveller has been halted after the power capability of the two new electro engines has run in to issues of loss of power or cut off in mid-flight with not being enabled to control the aircraft.

Last year many believed we were on the beginning of a electric revolution. but now we know that much of what was thought possible is not going to work, as well as land and sea and so conventional power will be staying for some time yet.

Helicopters may see that possibility and many concepts are coming to the fore, but the reality is that the drone is to replace the need for some helicopters since they are more versatile in how they can be deployed.

PBY Consolidated Catalina

Best flying boat ever Built?

The Catalina was designed in the mid 1930's for the US Navy, but it came to its fore during World-War II (1939-45) when many thousands were built for operations in the maritime role in both the Atlantic ocean and the Pacific! Many were also deployed in the far-east, and Mediterranean in the main role as an anti-submarine hunter and with unrivalled success.

This flying boat was also used to transport special forces, medical evacuation and many needed gaps in aviation during the war years! It is not clear if any were ever used as commercial airliners during or after the war, but they continued mainly in the maritime and later fishery protections role. They were easy to fly and versatile and like by the pilots who flew them and this also applied to around the world?

After the war the over 7000 built found a new role with many nations outside the U.S. and these boats remained in that role right up to the 1990's? The Catalina does not surpass the Antonov An-2/4 in age and operational use, but it is the nearest to that target along with the Douglas DC-3/C-47!

The Motorbike. Two.

Today?

The role of the motorbike is far from over today, as it was yesterday? It is now one of the fastest machines on the surface, with top quality racing at all levels and its just that we do not see enough of the sport on TV?

Motorbikes have been adapted for Paramedic work in Israel and the U.S.A., these are the first responders to various situations? Nearly every police and paramilitary force in the world uses the motorbike for traffic and escorting  duties because of their flexibility.

Italy, Japan, Brazil, India, Australia and Russia still make some serious top quality machines for civil and military use. Some nations have copied British and U.S. designs and successfully adapted them

Today's machines are either top end or mass produced and in many nations in the developing world, such as India they are used for every imaginable use? China has moved on to advanced technology in the first mass produced electric battery powered machines, in fact there is no end now to the use and viability of this machine and its other various components, such as the scooter, scrambler and motorcycle.

Even the military are still using motorbikes in the communications role, despite the Internet and many other advanced forms of communications, we may not but others are.