14 DAY TRIAL // Ex-SAS officer Neil Laughton, a British explorer who has already climbed the highest peaks on seven continents and traveled the North Pole, is set to embark on a new adventure, this time on board a heavily modified sand buggy, which will also feature airborne capabilities. He plans to fly over the Pyrenees mountain range, between France and Andorra, before finally flying over the Gibraltar strait and traveling hundreds of miles to Timbuktu, the capital of Mali.
"I like variety and thought this would be an interesting challenge. Also Timbuktu is an iconic and quirky destination," Laughton told the BBC. "Sadly the political situation in some areas on our route is not good and there are some unsavory people about so we must be careful."
"Clearly the reliability of the car is crucial. We're going to have to cope with wind chill temperatures as low as -30C and blistering heat up to 50C. But it's been fully tested at a secret location and it 100% works." The adventurer added that, upon learning the news about his new endeavor, his wife had an "unprintable" reaction, but that now she fully supports the project.
"The inspiration came from realizing we can drive and we can fly, so why can't we do both? The problem all along has been the wing technology, which we think we've cracked with the Skycar," said Gilo Cardozo, the 29 year-old inventor of the Skycar, and the brains behind the entire project.
The machine relies on a high-powered fan and a parachute for flight, as well as on two folding wings, which the driver operates easily. In case of emergency, a parachute can be deployed, which will ensure the survival of the passengers and that of the two-seater vehicle.
For safety reasons, support vehicles will accompany the duo throughout the trip, in order to supply assistance if any is required. The original plan also involved the crossing of the English channel, but civilian aviation officials opposed the initiative, saying that it would have disrupted air traffic lines too severely.
The expedition is scheduled to leave London on Wednesday, and the trip will take more than 42 days to complete. It will also cover some 4,000 miles (6,400 km), spanning the territories of France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Senegal. Though this is only the maiden flight of the buggy, Laughton is convinced that everything will go smoothly.