400 lbs capacity for passengers / cargo is in line with an R22, a common 2 seater helicopter (389 lbs for Pilot, Passenger and Baggage). However the SureFly situation is likely worse than that. Typically the empty weight does not include fuel weight, which might be another 100 lbs.

It seems that SureFly has designed an aircraft with less than half the range of an R22, that can't autorotate, and costs roughly the same. The SureFly might be easier to fly though.

https://robinsonheli.com/r22-series/

> However the SureFly situation is likely worse than that. Typically the empty weight does not include fuel weight

Empty weight does not typically include usable fuel, but curb weight, which is what is cited here, generally does (though it's not a figure usually, IME, specified for aircraft).

I'm sure the Max Take Off weight is even lower at altitude and in warm weather. I've noticed most R22 pilots are pretty skinny.

You should look at the usable payload of a Cessna 150 or Piper Cub, and keep in mind that figure includes fuel, if you think that's low. Weight and balance is something you have to pay close attention to in aviation in general, and what your passengers are carrying does matter.

The BMI chart maxes out healthy weights at 192. So unless you have two NBA players or something, it should work well for most but perhaps not all healthy people.

Average weights (no median, sorry) from the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm):

>Men: 195.7 pounds

>Women: 168.5 pounds

So this could carry an average man, average woman, and under 36 pounds. At that point, the weight of your clothing or a bottle of wine becomes very important.

Yes, I did say healthy, which a good half of the USA isn't.

but that still implies a 100m person market, just in the USA, and people in other developed countries tend to be closer to the "healthy" range. There are lots of healthy people out there.

In short, I don't think this will be the make-or-break for flying cars...

> a 100m person market

No, not really. Only extremely wealthy people can buy this. It's more like a 10,000 to 100,000 person market in the US I would guess.

Maybe the US version should have one seat :)

What chart are you looking at? BMI is based on height, so someone 6'4" tall has a normal healthy weight range up to 205lbs.

For quite a while, electric VTOL aircraft will be quite limited in what they can carry, I think, because the specific energy of batteries is just too far below that of gasoline.

Its perfectly fine for two adults + a bit of cargo for immediate use.