Ride like E.T. with Paravelo – the world’s first flying bicycle

Remember that magical moment in E.T. when the bikes take to the sky?

Now a flying bicycle could be yours to own with Paravelo (alien not included).

In 1982 an entire generation was captivated when five boys’ bikes suddenly became airborne in Spielberg’s classic.

Now you have the chance to help make your childhood dream a reality by funding the world’s first commercially available flying bicycle.

XploreAir are trying to raise £50,000 to fund Paravelo, a bicycle that has the ability to lift off and ascend to up to 4,000 feet.

This is the sort of thing crowdfunding platform Kickstarter was made for.

Watch XploreAir doing their best Jony Ive impressions:

Sheer Brilliance

Every now and then, you see a Kickstarter project that almost brings a tear to your eye with its sheer brilliance and craziness.

This is one such project.

XploreAir introduce Paravelo in a campaign video that would make Apple’s Jony Ive proud (minus the awful overdubbing).

It’s a video that tugs on the heartstrings of anyone who remembers the 20th century, complete with rousing music and product-design-porn close-ups.

Flamping

The Paravelo is propelled by a powerful fan and will not require a pilot’s license to fly.

It can travel at 15mph on land and 25mph in the air according to the campaign page, and features a built-in tent for ‘flamping’ (flying/camping).

What’s more, it’s powered by bio fuel in an attempt to make it eco-friendly.

And it can hold enough juice to stay airborne for three hours.

Hold on tight

The XploreAir team claim the Paravelo is safe, but I wouldn’t like to find out exactly how safe it is when it malfunctions at 4,000 feet.

Still, hats off to these trailblazers for their sheer audacity and bold vision.

I’d love to see the look on a pursuing policeman’s face as you lift off on one of these babies.

After all, Elliot and co were running from the cops if memory serves correctly…

image credit: wikimedia commons