How long till we have the Sky Car?

I think it has a future when technology can accomplish most of the "flying". Currently, it is too difficult for most people to simply get "in" and operate a vehicle through space like an aircraft. It takes about 60-100 hours to get a simple pilot's license to operate in nice weather only, at that. So either we all get trained as pilots, or technology takes meets us more than half way...

I pegged 11-25 years, for as a REAL ROUGH estimate, due to something about microprocessor power doubling every X amount of time :lol: . I think within that timeframe, the technology will be readily available for such endeavors...

 

It'll never fly the FAA will killfile it. Just look how long it took them to get the "Sport Pilot" certificate out. So I voted 56+ years.

Wildkow

 

Controlling traffic in three dimensions would be too difficult, and I, for one, will never trust totally automated vehicles.

Of course, we do have flying cars right now. They're called airplanes. Are they supposed to be totally different when you paint a futuristic-looking picture of them? I suppose this one is supposed to be vertical takeoff & landing, to avoid the need of a long runway at every house, but we have those also: they're called helicopters. And for military use there's the Harrier.

But the problem comes when you try to assert that every household is going to have one (or two) with associated landing places as common as parking spaces. Jet exhaust is HOT and helicopter rotors are big, so unless you are going to make believe that you have a totally new and as-yet unimagined propulsion system, you need BIG areas to land and take off. And real estate ain't getting any cheaper.

The idea of everyone flying instead of driving is a pipe dream. But if you have enough money you can fly now. And if you are REALLY rich you can have your own helicopter and helipad now. No need for that thing in jmann's picture. (And by the way, that thing looks like it only seats two people and no room for cargo. Honda Insight anyone?)

Oh, and a P.S.: Fuel ain't getting any cheaper either. I wonder how many gallons to the mile a vertical takeoff jet car will burn. And how about parking spaces downtown? That thing looks big, and it only seems to seat two. These futurists never seem to think about practical stuff like where are you going to land and park it.

 

I used to be a private pilot but gave up on it as an exotically expensive hobby. Though recently my contract employer has been dropping hints to offer a bonus to fly a light turboprop, so perhaps I could get back into it.

That's the key: somebody else has to pay for the cost per hour of operation. It's enormous!

Hasn't Moller been kicking this idea around for a long time? Seems farfetched at this point.

I'm not sure if simply by translating vehicular traffic from flat 2-dimensional roads to 3-dimensional airspace will actually solve any congestion problems. Major hubs are experiencing greater congestion now, add in thousands and eventually millions of personal aircraft won't help any.

I fully trust automated systems, as I design a lot of them for industrial and some aviation clients. Certification to 6-nines reliability, CMM 6, etc, can be achieved but is very expensive.

Modern airliners are heavily automated already, not just the fly-by-wire ones either: TCAS, EGPWS, FADEC, etc.

 

Of course, the hard part being a pilot isn't when everything is working normally, it's when something ISN'T working like it's supposed to, and why a pilot gets paid more than a bus driver.

Hours and hours of boredom, with occasional moments of sheer terror.

 

I see it as a start, but not any where near the design it needs to be.
Sky cars have been sucessful. There was a great one in the 50's.
But it had to have more LIFT area. And, this skycar current design
would be HIGH management. Not for the faint of heart, even with
computer control. Remember, with enough speed you can fly
a locomotive. But who would want a design requiring that much speed
to stay aloft? And, what about all engines out? Drop like a rock.
Stick with a Cessna 150...vintage, land it on any road...safe.
When I was getting my pilots license, you could buy a great one
for 20,000. I think the technology hit a peak with that design
if you're talking commuter. Of course, you need to be a pilot.
Never happen for the general public, until it's complete computer
control. I mean by that. You go out, get in, read your paper while
Microsoft pilots the plane from take off to landing. 50 years away.
Rod
Rod

 

EEK!! :blink: Microsoft flying?!? Count me out!!
(How often do you think you'd have to reboot it during flight? :blink: )

 

Rod:

Um, trust a Microsoft RTOS?? You're joking, right?

I'll stick with RTOS's that I learned to program on, such as the Honeywell RTOS that is used on current fly-by-wire airliners.

jay

 

last time I saw a price being bandied about for this thing it was in the $200,000 range. So unless I win the Lotto this isn't really even on the back burner it just fell right off the stove.

 

Frank:

Yeah, for that kind of money, no way.

If you strike gold with the 6/49 or Super 7, seriously consider a Piper Meridian or some other single-engine turboprop. You can hand fly them when in the mood, or let the automation do it's thing and enjoy the view.

http://www.newpiper.com/aircraft/meridian/default.asp

http://www.newpiper.com/aircraft/meridian/bigpics/Pic6.htm

http://www.newpiper.com/aircraft/meridian/bigpics/Pic8.htm

Or, for a fraction of the price, fly First Class on Cathay Pacific. They wait on you hand and foot.

jay

 

Oh, I just can't WAIT for all those idiots on the road to become pilots.

 

flying cars are already out. in fact heres a pic from my album i took at the Boeing Museum of Flight

info
http://priuschat.com/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=775

pic
http://priuschat.com/forums/album_pic.php?pic_id=774

 

Ready for unteathered testing. I have some info for you. It has been in that same state of readiness for about 20 years now... and counting. If it is "ready" why is it not tested, one wonders?

This machine and this individual are right here in my back yard. The machine is beautiful to behold ... but this isn't happening any more today than it was happening 20 years ago. My money is on never. Not for this one.

 

Hence the need for full automation. Road rage is bad enough. Can you imagine Air Rage? Some drunk inbred redneck cutting off a 747?? Pass

 

Jayman if I win either one I'm buying a Maule Turbine Lunar Rocket. Google that! Oh ya on Whipline anphyb's

 

I came across this
http://www.terrafugia.com/

 

i believe this version stole the idea from the version i had posted.