Pipistrel!
Really, this was not a huge surprise after the revelations that only 3 teams had actually made it to the competition and could compete. However what is a surprise is that both of the top 2 got double the millage efficiency that was set by NASA. An unprecedented 400 passenger miles per gallon is really showing that electric flight is the way to go. Nothing we have today is that efficient, it's almost cheaper then riding a bike. If this keeps up, I can just imagine in the near future small electric airplanes that can travel all the way around the world on a single charge.
Undoubtedly, this is a huge step for NASA's Small Aircraft Transpiration System. It now makes economic sense for corporations and governments to invest in such a system. If you needed to go from San Fransisco to Los Angeles the price of taking an Air Taxi survive based on this technology would be cheaper and faster then taking a car, and more convenient then airline travel because, hopefully, there will be no TSA oversight (as it's not really needed). At the same time this type of system is applicable everywhere setting the stage for a worldwide, cheap, economically viable, environmentally friendly transportation system that anyone can afford..
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