( CNN ) -- To wander the Farnborough airfield during trade show week is to be dwarfed by the big beasts of global aviation , from the epic Dreamliners to the needle-sharp fighter jets , and all for sale . But with even the cheapest models costing many millions of dollars , is there any prospect that owning an aircraft could follow computers and cars in becoming affordable to the masses ? The figures indicate otherwise . Private jet sales slowed to a crawl following the global recession , falling 3.4 % to 682 in 2012 in the U.S. and rising just 0.9 % the following year . Even this minor growth has been concentrated at the top end of the market , with sales contracting toward the lower end . Bombardier airline President Eric Martel was candid about the prospect of an upturn , saying Monday : `` It 's no secret the light segment has been difficult over the last couple of years . '' An enthusiast could still fulfill their dream through a fixed kit plane , or a discontinued antique . But looking ahead , their best bet might be the emerging field of the car-plane hybrid . This week at the Farnborough International Airshow , Parajet is showcasing the SkyRunner to potential aviation distributors with a price tag of $ 80,000 . The design combines an all-terrain vehicle with a light sport aircraft capable of soaring 15,000 feet at a speed of 55mph , with a flying time of three hours . Powered by an innovative low-carbon petrol engine , the hybrid is presented as `` the next generation of recreational aircraft ... designed primarily to make aviation easily accessible and fun . '' The vehicle has undergone testing over five years , including a voyage from London to Timbuktu flown by inventor Gilo Cardozo . It builds on the motor design of the company 's signature product , a propeller-powered jetpack already established on the market . Parajet manager Tom Prideaux-Brune believes the new concept is ready and is now being fine tuned for specific markets . `` We have built it and proved it works so now we can take it forward to manufacturing . We can launch when we have the distributors . '' Classified as a light aircraft , SkyRunner must overcome regulatory hurdles . `` It 's about planning and registering it , so that the authorities know who is operating it and has had sufficient training . The Civil Aviation Authority has been very positive . '' Once a fantasy only seen in films like `` Back to the Future , '' the 'caroplane ' has become an increasingly robust reality in recent years . The Terrafugia also made its air show debut recently and is set for sales next year . New competitors are also emerging . The existing market for private planes is `` not dynamic or growing '' , says Charles Alcock , Editor-in-Chief of Aviation International News , suggesting there could be an opportunity for innovators to steal a march , as occurred before the crash . `` A decade earlier we saw new designs that made planes significantly more affordable ... very light jets more like sports cars with wings that bought prices down from $ 75 million to $ 1 million . It seemed they might take off before the recession . '' Alcock highlights that the initial outlay can pale beside other costs such as training , licenses and parking . He adds that regulations could derail the hybrid models : `` You have to go a long way to convince the authorities . '' So hardly a cloudless sky . But if the SkyRunner design is not yet cleared for take off , it provides an exciting and plausible glimpse of a future of aircraft ownership we can all aspire to .
Car - plane technology looks to make aviation affordable amidst private jet competition . SkyRunner debuts at launch this week with price tag of $ 500 . Regulations to be resolved before it really takes off .