Horizons – Lazareth’s LMV 496 flying motorcycle misses its first flight –

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Lazareth’s LMV 496 flying motorcycle misses its first flight

Horizons - Lazareth's LMV 496 flying motorcycle misses its first flight -

The first public take off of the flying motorcycle of the brilliant inventor-builder Ludovic Lazareth, scheduled for January 31 in Haute-Savoie (74), unfortunately came to an end due to the weather conditions and a recalcitrant turbine… Explanations.

LMV for "La Moto Volante": it is with this necessarily intriguing suffix and a teasing video worthy of a science fiction film that Ludovic Lazareth unveiled his latest project: a "motorcycle" capable of taking off thanks to miniaturized turbines designed by the German company JetCat. 

  • MNC of December 19, 2018 :
  • MNC of 2 March 2016 :

This barely believable machine is inspired by the already very spectacular, a motorcycle with four twin wheels and V8 engine developed in its workshop in Haute-Savoie. Main difference between these two joyfully nonconformist machines: the wheels of the LMV 496 fold up to place the reactors located in their center on a vertical axis…

According to Lazareth, the thrust produced by these turbines – estimated "at 300 kg" – would be capable of making the prototype take off like a helicopter or a drone! An inertia unit would then be responsible for balancing the forces between each turbine to ensure its stability. Just that…

Because, inevitably, such an enterprise arouses as many fantasies as skepticism: certainly, Lazareth is a regular of exceptional projects: the proof among others with its very credible and its impressive quad "Wazuma" that propels – at your choice – a 4-cylinder of, two electric motors (E-Wazuma) or a Ferrari V8 !

Horizons - Lazareth's LMV 496 flying motorcycle misses its first flight -

From there to having succeeded in building a motorcycle capable of taking off, there was however a legitimate doubt that a proper demonstration had to be removed. Appointment was therefore given on January 31 in Annecy-Le-Vieux by Ludovic Lazareth, who planned to mark the spirits for the 20 years of his company with this inaugural flight.

The flying motorcycle does not like the rain !

About 500 people were gathered to attend this first public flight of the LMV 496, including the French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz who came as a friend and admirer of Lazareth. Unfortunately, an unforeseen technical hazard linked to the weather also occurred during this attempt filmed by …

Horizons - Lazareth's LMV 496 flying motorcycle misses its first flight -

"Two major problems arose", tells Ludovic Lazareth to our colleagues. "Very high humidity and cold: it rained for an hour, an hour and a half, on the turbines before the test. The electronics were disturbed and we encountered problems starting a turbine". 

"And suddenly, this small turbine exploded: the machine, unbalanced, could not really take off. We saw the front part take off slightly with the pilot on the machine, but the rear part did not follow. C ‘is of course a little disappointing because we carried out an internal test a month before and it had worked: the machine had taken off one meter from the ground ". 

Horizons - Lazareth's LMV 496 flying motorcycle misses its first flight -

Ludovic Lazareth admits however that no flight test had been carried out with the pilot on the machine: weights had been used during the previous simulations! Suffice to say that his companion Vanessa, courageous test pilot of this impressive prototype, should not lead wide by approaching this first "real" attempt…

This absence of preliminary tests undoubtedly explains the presence of a cable in its back to ensure a minimum of safety: according to its designer, the LMV 496 would develop all the same "1500 ch" and its turbines would blow at "2000 km / h" hot air ("800 ° C"!) in the immediate vicinity of the "pilot-in-command-motard" !

Next demonstration scheduled in two or three months 

Disappointed by this failed attempt, Ludovic Lazareth will continue the adventure: this brilliant French designer is firmly convinced that flying motorcycles could become widespread in the future, even if the technology will then no doubt be very different..

Horizons - Lazareth's LMV 496 flying motorcycle misses its first flight -

"It’s the start of a new era and this machine is responsible for giving an idea of ​​what the vehicles of the future could be," he explains, suggesting that the kerosene-powered turbines in his prototype will be replaced by electric models if this concept were to become widespread.

Ludovic Lazareth plans to repeat his demonstration within "two or three months", the time necessary to ensure that he is able to present a "stable machine" and which "is guided perfectly". MNC remains ready for this next take-off test ! 

 Video of the take-off attempt of the LMV 496

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