Yet Another Cycling Forum
Off Topic => The Pub => Arts and Entertainment => Topic started by: alexb on 24 November, 2008, 10:00:49 pm
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Since I can't figure out where to post this, I'm sticking it here.
The Metro had a hilarious, seemingly photoshopped picture of an aircar in flight. It looks as though it might actually be a frame grab from one of their videos: ::SKYCAR:: (http://www.moller.com/skycar.htm)
However, their vapourware website is worth a look for some of the great concept videos and drawings.
How these guys get investors is amazing.
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*Starts thinking the commute could become much more interesting*
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Disappointing news from the "Purchase" tab:
Moller International is currently not taking deposits on aircraft.
:(
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Ah, flying cars. Like nuclear fusion, they've been "less than ten years away from going mainstream" for the last 50 years...
And yes, I would like to have both, within the next ten years. :P
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Of course a flying car would be great if you were one of a select few who had them. As soon as everyone had oen we would have gridlock and crashes worse than we have now.
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Unlike fusion, skycars are Just Stupid, at least until someone finds a lump of cavorite to stop them FALLING ON PEOPLE!
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Have you watched the Skycar rescue video?
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Can you imagine your average S-Class/7-series driver (for it will be they) driving like a wazzock (for they do and they will) with one of those over your head?
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Paul Moller has been "developing" his concept for years. I think James May featured him recently on a programme he did. That thing won't fly in more ways than one.
There are however a couple of more promising flying cars being produced which could well be launched in the next 12-18 months.
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Hmmm, the flying car - for when your 4x4 isn't just unsustainable enough.
Although I'm a hypocrite as I would commute to work by X-Wing if I could.
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The idea of 'promising' and 'sky cars' just don't go together... apart from the hyperbole, these are just utterly ridiculous things to be wasting valuable resources and brainpower developing at a time when we need to transform the economy onto a more environmental footing. ALmost as stupid as that plan to stick a eurofighter engine into a car body to break the land speed record.
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Stupider by far: a one-off is a glorious endeavour of engineering, and not every glorious endeavour will be aligned with your heart. Deal with it :)
The skycar, on the other hand, aims to be a production machine, out there in the thousands, and that really is stupid.
The only people who are interested, apart from dotcom zillionaires (and they don't count, they're nutters) are the military. They'd love a "flying hummer". But they're working more towards the autonomous ducted-fan robo-skybrick than a Jetsons fantasy.
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The only people who are interested, apart from dotcom zillionaires (and they don't count, they're nutters) are the military. They'd love a "flying hummer". But they're working more towards the autonomous ducted-fan robo-skybrick than a Jetsons fantasy.
They have a "flying Hummer", they've had them sinc ethe 1940s. They're called helicopters!
They keep trying to reinvent the helicopter though, the Osprey being one spectacular example of why the Chinook is still around...
V-22 Crash - Video (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/913394/v_22_crash/)
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Stupider by far: a one-off is a glorious endeavour of engineering, and not every glorious endeavour will be aligned with your heart. Deal with it :)
I would object less if that was the case - if for example they had developed a new form of engine, anything else that was innovative and exciting. But no, they are just sticking a eurofighter engine in a pretty standard wind tunnel shape - that's not a glorious endeavour by anyone's standard is it? Designing something that would get us to Mars and be able to live there, for example, now that would be a glorious endeavour... :thumbsup:
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The only people who are interested, apart from dotcom zillionaires (and they don't count, they're nutters) are the military. They'd love a "flying hummer". But they're working more towards the autonomous ducted-fan robo-skybrick than a Jetsons fantasy.
They have a "flying Hummer", they've had them sinc ethe 1940s. They're called helicopters!
They keep trying to reinvent the helicopter though, the Osprey being one spectacular example of why the Chinook is still around...
V-22 Crash - Video (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/913394/v_22_crash/)
They keep trying to reinvent the helicopter because they are rubbish. Slow, use tons of fuel and have poor range as well as wanting to drop out of the sky as soon as you look at them. As my cousin who flys teh things for the army says "they only fly because they are so ugly the ground repels them". They have one killer thing going for them though, proper VTOL with sustained hover.
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And a huge footprint.
The Osprey's an attempt to make a vehicle that VTOLs then is actually quickish and longish range.
Ducted-fan robo-hummers attempt to make a vehicle that's VTOL in a crowded urban environment (where choppers suck) and doesn't have a fleshy pilot to lose.
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Another one (http://www.flyer.co.uk/news/newsfeed.php?artnum=857) flies!
Only $194,000. (http://www.terrafugia.com/)