We all have thought about paying more next time and having our seat upgraded when travelling by air. The TSA is a pain in the butt anyway and the wait before your plane is finally ready to take off will definitely have you thinking about your AMTRAC options. The passengers travelling with you have no regard for personal space and the list goes on and on. Now you could have avoided this if you had your own private plane, right? But who are we kidding? Such luxuries are only for the rich. Well, no more! Say hello to Cobalt’s personal jet that even lesser rich can afford!
Cobalt is a San Francisco-based startup company that has entered the personal planes market with a bang with a retail price that is far too below when compared with the conventional market value. The popular, Learjets, retails its smallest models (7 passengers) at a price of about $20 million for a new plane and about $2.5 million for a used plane. However, Cobalt offers its Co50 Valkyrie two-seater for a price of $610,000 right now and following the official debut its price will go to $675,000.
The Valkyrie has a smaller frame that features a ton of power with a piston engine that faces backwards and spins a three-blade pusher propeller made of carbon-fiber. It is capable of travelling at speeds up to 300 mph. At an economical speed of 253mph with two passengers, it can travel a total of 1,600 miles before it needs to come down for refueling. The distance would also decrease if a friend is travelling with you or if you’re packing extra luggage.
It has a thoughtful and a sharp design, featuring a small forewing at the front of the aircraft that improves lift and imparts more stability when dealing with dishonest winds. David Loury, founder and chief executive officer of Cobalt, said, “Today, Cobalt is no longer just a prototype. It’s a world-class aircraft, complete with advanced safety, technology, and modern design features for travel-loving consumers and aviation enthusiasts.”
While it is cool in design, there are other way more affordable airplanes out there.
As others have posted, it is not a jet plane. It has a piston engine with a propeller. If it was a jet engine plane, it would be relatively affordable. As an ICE powered plane, it is on the expensive side.
I have a little bit of news for whoever wrote this article. A jet aircraft does NOT have a piston engine.
Not a jet