Political Tea Leaves
Politics turned Parody from within a Conservative Bastion inside the People's Republic of Maryland
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Gotta Love Same Day Voting...
“Sydney Sweeney” makes the case for Voter ID. https://t.co/wd9EYCMI4C
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) October 21, 2026
Why the 70 Year Hiatus? Anachronism or Presentism Bias? Lack of Historicism?
The Hiller Flying Platform (such as the VZ-1 Pawnee) was abandoned because it was too slow, lacked pilot protection, and became dangerously unstable and difficult to control when the Army demanded a larger version with more engines and thrust. [1, 2, 3]Key Limitations
- Low Speed: Performance maxed out around 16 miles per hour, making it impractical for rapid tactical movement. [1, 2]
- Control Issues: The original design relied on the pilot leaning to shift their body weight. Adding more engines to increase power made the platform too heavy for kinesthetic (leaning) control to work properly. [1, 2]
- Vulnerability: Pilots stood completely exposed with no armor or shielding, leaving them easy targets on a battlefield. [1, 2]
- Poor Weather Handling: The craft struggled severely and lost stability in windy conditions or higher-speed flight. [1, 2]
- Shift in Priorities: The U.S. military ultimately abandoned personal platform concepts in favor of conventional, practical utility helicopters like the Bell UH-1 Huey.
The Jetson ONE is a single-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) personal aircraft priced at $148,000. It delivers an endurance of about 20 minutes of flight time, an estimated maximum cruise range of 11 miles (17.7 km), and an electronically limited top speed of 63 mph (102 km/h). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]Specifications & Performance
- Top Speed: 63 mph (102 km/h) (software-limited) [1]
- Endurance (Flight Time): Up to 20 minutes per charge [1]
- Max Pilot Weight: 210 lb (95 kg) [1]
- Power / Motors: 8 electric motors with high-discharge lithium-ion batteries [1]
Cost & Ordering
- Base Price: $148,000 (excluding taxes and fees; formerly $128,000)
- Deposit: $8,000 non-refundable down payment
- Delivery Timeline: 2026 and 2027 production slots are sold out; current orders are scheduled for 2028 delivery through Jetson Aero. [1, 2]
Regulatory & Safety
- Pilot License: Classified as an FAA Part 103 ultralight in the U.S., meaning no traditional pilot's license is legally required, though brief ground/flight training is provided. [1, 2]
- Safety Features: Triple-redundant flight computers, motor redundancy, LiDAR obstacle detection, hands-free hover, and a ballistic emergency parachute
PS: The Jetson ONE takes 1 hour to fully recharge when connected to a 230V/240V outlet. If you are charging it using standard 110V/120V residential power, the recharge time stretches to 2 hours. [1, 2, 3]
Because waiting 1 to 2 hours for a 20-minute flight can be restrictive, the aircraft is explicitly designed with a swappable battery system. The dual high-density lithium-ion battery packs can be easily removed and replaced (in 2-5 minutes) with a fresh set, allowing for immediate back-to-back flights without downtime if you purchase extra 60 kg/ 132 lb. battery packs ($3,600 - $4,200 ea.)