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That is too cool. I have seen a car/boat with a prop but never a car/plane. Looks like something James Bond would have. 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds? That is hauling the mail on pavement. That engine looked like some kind of flat 4 but I couldnt tell. Ala BMW maybe? Sure would be handy in rush hour traffic.
The ingenuity of people associated with the flying never ceases to fascinate and amaze me.
I watched a doco last week on the development of the Antonov An124 which showed the difficulties faced by early aviators and contrasted them with how the Antonovs' designers overcame each previously impossible to achieve task.
It was a simply stunning example of humankinds' ingenuity and persistence in action, as is this car.
Simply amazing.
Well, many have invented a "flying car" protype (there was another one just last year in fact also at OSH -Terrafugia) but none of them had made it into real production.
I think one thing that bothered me was his mission "to bring Jesus and medical relief to remote areas of the world where regular cars and planes cannot go." Hmmmm. (I watched an interview with him at OSH and he's a Missionary) This vehicle is being developed by a religious group specifically for there own use, it's just that by offering it to the general public they are trying to finance it's development and ultimately can support it for their needs.
When he talks about search and rescue, I am really not getting that. It's a small two seater vehicle. How much weight/equipment can he possibly carry? It has a maximum pay load of 300 pounds and that includes any occupants. How far can he possibly "fly" on 15 gallons? And at 40mph it would take you all day to go very far.
The "wing" is a paraglide chute. And yet he thinks crosswinds, downdrafts, updrafts, heavy winds or micro bursts, etc., won't be an issue? I can't imagine that flying that vehicle in anything over a 10 to 15 mph wind would be a wise idea, truthfully. It weighs less than a thousand pounds. It's a canvas covered frame. In cold weather, you'd freeze your nuts off. In any rain, you'd be soaked and freezing your nuts off.
What about rain, dust, temperature and other weather issues?
I don't mean to take anything away from his ingenuity here or drive and creativeness, (it is interesting) I am just questioning the practicality of such a vehicle. He thinks the price will be around $85,000. I wonder what the insurance will be? For 85k you can buy a decent GA aircraft. What he has here is pretty much a small dune buggy with a paraglide chute and a prop. Frankly, I'd be afraid of prop damage from off road riding in it. What happens if you fly into an area with no roads and your chute becomes damaged? I also did not see any real navigation equipment on this vehicle/plane or safety equipment. No rudder either. How do you control yaw and pitch in the air?? This car could be an air-traffic controller's nightmare. lmao
Airspeed: ~40 mph
Climb Rate: 600 fpm (sea level at gross weight)
Endurance: 2.5 hours
Takeoff Distance: 150 ft
Landing Distance: 150 ft
Service Ceiling: 10,000 ft
Fuel Capacity: ~15 gallons
Engine: Subaru 2.5L 170 hp Fuel Injected and Water Cooled (standard)
The idea that "anyone" could fly this vehicle is interesting as well. One can learn to the basics of flying an aircraft in a few hours. However, it takes a lot longer to become a pilot. How many non pilots would buy this vehicle and have some very real issues flying it? The idea of the general public in flying cars really scares me, actually. lol Given the number of fender benders on the freeways everyday, I can't imagine the carnage with flying cars falling out of the sky. But hey, that's just me. Unfortunately I'm resigned to the fact that the flying car that can be operated by regular folks is just not practical/safe.
On top of that is fuel, annual inspection, insurance, hangar or tie-down space, depreciation, maintenance, etc. Every hour you fly that thing can easily cost $100. And yet the "use" of this vehicle/plane is very limited. I think that we're along way from what people actually think of when they say or think, "flying car".
man I wish we had more than 10 minutes to edit our posts. I need longer than that just to correct my horrible typing! like "there" instead of "their". yikes. lol
I want my flying car, and cities in the skies like the Jetsons. LOL.
That being said having a robot maid would be pretty cool.
About the flying car, I have heard about this a few times on coast to coast am. The person who designed it, wants the flying car to be remote controlled and not flown by an actual person. His thoughts are just punch in a destination and off you go.
The flying car will not come close to being practical as a means of transport anytime soon for the reasons you mentioned ALA.
Can the robot maid be French??? lol Man, I need a fricking robot secretary.