Moller Skycar. Who needs roads and airports?

[aworldnervelink]

The Moller is certainly cool, but IMHO it barely qualifies as a flying car. On the ground it's a tricycle, electrically powered, and tops out at 35 MPH. Compare it to the Terrafugia Transition (http://www.terrafugia.com/vehicle.html) which is much slower but more versatile on the ground.

It's hard to tell from their website but I'm guessing the Moller is a ways from being certifiable. Software has got to be their big issue - keeping the thing stabilized and navigating properly. Seems like they've got the power problem solved handily.

[Jitgos]

This doesn't look to comfortable to me. Also, if you'r traveling in a straight line you wouldn't need that much speed. I'd say let's build some well armed "city car"-version and use them as protest-flight against both air regulations and patents.   

I understand your point, but at the same time it might be like people 100 years ago saying who needs to go 40mph when our entire town is within these few miles. Horse and buggy works just fine. Now people have jobs 100 miles away from their home. With the skycar we might live 500 miles from our jobs and life could be radically different in that respect. Not that that's necessarily a better life.

It really gets me fired up when I think of how the government has botched transportation. Forcing all these highways that in a free market may have never been needed. We could all be flying around at 500 mph on autopilot right now. Think of the environmental advantages to this! Not living in a asphalt world.

The most common objection to a free market would be elimenated if we had kept it a free market.

The government is good at one thing. It knows how to break your legs, and then hand you a crutch and say, "See if it weren't for the government, you wouldn't be able to walk". - HB

Jeremy

[felix.benner]

I completely agree to this.

[Gabo]

The Moller is certainly cool, but IMHO it barely qualifies as a flying car.

That's because, unlike the Terrafugia, the Moller is not a car that flies.
It is a skycar, a vehicle meant for the sky.

Why bother moving around on the ground at all when you can fly to your destination?

On the ground it's a tricycle, electrically powered, and tops out at 35 MPH. Compare it to the Terrafugia Transition (http://www.terrafugia.com/vehicle.html) which is much slower but more versatile on the ground.

There is no need to be "versatile" on the ground.  The ground is very limiting spacewise.

What is very important is takeoff and landing.
Many people complain about privatizing roads saying that they would be "forced" to use the roads.
With a Moller Skycar, takeoff and landing can be done in any area large enough to fit the Skycar.

Compare this to the Terrafugia, which requires a minimum of 1500 feet to take off.
You wouldn't even be able to take off using the Terrafugia without getting on some sort of highway or freeway.


*EDIT:*  Nevermind, you aren't supposed to take off anywhere but an airport.  Talk about limiting....

Q: Can I take off from the highway?

A: No.  In addition to power lines, billboards, overpasses, and other obstructions that make this idea unsafe, the Transition will have to be parked with the engine off in order to deploy the wings and engage the propeller.

[firsty]

so i guess this means jetpacks are out, too, then, right?

if i ever get my jetpack i will never rebel against anything ever again. all i want is my jetpack.

[burnthebeautiful]

I read about jetpacks once when I was bored. From what I understand their setback is their enormous fuel consumption, even a several gallon tank only lasts a few minutes.

[FTL_Ian]

Plus, what about having a JET right next to your body?  Sounds like it would get a little hot.

[firsty]

frown down upon it all you want. one day, i will strafe you with my jetpack and i will be the coolest cat on the planet and you will be sorry you ever questioned me.

[firsty]

http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/the_worlds_smallest_one_person_helicopter.php

Sean Connery using a Jet Pack to escape from the bad guys in the 007 flick "Thunderball" was cool, after seeing something like that everyone of us must have thought if only.... Here is a more practical and comfortable alternative, the GEN H-4 from Gene corporation - Japan is your personal helicopter. It comes with a seat and landing gear so all you have to do is strap on and you are ready to go.

[Jitgos]

so i guess this means jetpacks are out, too, then, right?

if i ever get my jetpack i will never rebel against anything ever again. all i want is my jetpack.

Not quite a jetpack but close. Check this out. http://www.newlaunches.com/archives/the_worlds_smallest_one_person_helicopter.php

Who needs roads anyway.

Jeremy

[Michael Fisher]

"The government is good at one thing. It knows how to break your legs, and then hand you a crutch and say, "See if it weren't for the government, you wouldn't be able to walk". - HB

Exactly.