DURBAN - Well-known for crafting beautiful faces, South African aesthetic cosmetic practitioner Dr Reza Mia now wants to revolutionise luxury travel with a vertical take-off jet which provides helicopter convenience.
With the Pegasus Vertical Business Jet (Pegasus VBJ1), which is currently in the developing process, one would be able to take off and land anywhere - whether it’s on a rooftop, a yacht or a helipad. Its cool-air fan technology allows it to land on grass or on wooden decks.
Mia is also an avid aeronautics scholar with an MBA and Master’s in finance. Explaining how his passion from aesthetics grew into aviation, the Gauteng doctor said: “I’m still doing aesthetics but I’ve always believed in being broadly educated and, when it comes to aviation and engineering, I just read about two dozen books.
“Studying medicine helped me retain information better. I developed that side of my brain and then I think it’s the science, the physics and the art behind aesthetics that translated and helped me to work in the aviation side.”
Both of Mia’s parents studied at Salisbury Island in Durban and he’s also done work within aesthetic medicine there.
With Durban being home to many high-profile citizens, Mia said the business jet would definitely cater for A-list business executives, politicians and celebrities, among others.
“Basically, it would appeal to government and business people, anybody who would have previously bought a helicopter or a turboprop air plane or even a business jet so it kind of aims at all of those markets as well as search and rescue companies, the police, anti-poaching, ambulances and corporate companies.
“All of these are good applications for the aeroplane. In Durban, for instance, the plane can land on the beach or on any helipad. It can even land in a parking lot if you’ve got civil aviation approval.”
Expounding the merits of the plane, Mia said it was a true business jet with helicopter convenience. “It’s got a very long range and it’s light on fuel because it’s such a lightweight aircraft.
“It will perform helicopter landings, fit into tight spaces and be safer than a helicopter. But then we’re flying four times the speed for four times the range, so that’s what makes it a unique plane and I guess a game-changing aircraft.
“So what it means is that if you fly out to sea to rescue someone or if you need medical rescue, you could also get much further much faster.”
Reza was the doctor who assisted his brother, Ridwaan Mia, in the surgery done on three-year-old burn victim Isabella “Pippie” Kruger, who sustained third-degree burns during a fire incident.
South African aesthetics doctor Reza Mia, inset right, has innovative plans for the aerospace industry. He wants to create an aircraft that has the convenience of a helicopter. Above is his concept Pegasus VBJ1, which should be able to take off and land just about anywhere.
Five years since the episode, Mia said Kruger was recovering well.
“We keep in touch with her and her mother and they’re both doing very well. She’s recovering better than anyone could have imagined. I think some of the paediatricians expected her to be a complete vegetable but she’s walking and she recognises faces.
“She’s still improving and I think it’s thanks to her mother stimulating her to the extent that she has.”
In terms of the Pegasus VBJ1, it has already had its South African patents granted with patents pending in the US.
“We were awarded the patent in May. We’ve started a funding company, which is Pegasus UA Unlimited, and now, as a form of crowdfunding, are selling shares online.
“We’ve had so much interest in the project. People come up to us and say they would like to get involved. So, in this way, we can group together with our fellow South Africans and make this project a reality.”
* For information on the VBJ1, visit www.pegasusua.com