Got 5 Mil to invest in a A Plug-In Hybrid Flying Car?

[AZEqualizer]

From the flights of fancy file: Skycar designer Moller International said this week that is has designed a concept plug-in hybrid sports car capable of flying for about 15 minutes.

http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/assets_c/2008/09/autovolantor-thumb-400x282.png

Northern California-based Moller calls the 2-seat car the "Autovolantor (http://www.moller.com/downloads/Autovolantor.pdf)" (from a Moller-invented word, Volantor, which was derived from the Italian "volante," which means flying, or, in music, to move with light rapidity, and the French "Volant," meaning having wings extended).

The company also said it would take about $5 million to build a working prototype, although t figures limited production of retail models could get the price down to about $250,000.

This according to an article on The Green Car Advisor (http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2008/09/above-the-crowd-moller-develops-concept-for-a-plug-in-hybrid-flying-car.html)

"Oooops I did it again!!!" ... this must be Moller's theme song.:)

[Hardtime11]

15 minutes flight?

Let's see:

•Ground range ~ 150 miles
•Airborne range ~ 75 miles

In Florida;
I can fly to the airport at Disney from my location and still have time to go to a parking lot for storage while visiting my theme park of choice.

In Alaska;
I could drive from my house to the local airstrip (Highway with 5 miles of straightaway) then fly to where my hunting cabin is 20 miles pass the mile wide river basin (filled in spring runoff). Stay for a little bit then fly back to the dinner party that night. Top off with a little bit of fuel and then back out to the cabin for the moose hunt. Sounds good to me.

Daily work routine;
Could launch from my back yard fly to wife's work (16 miles by road, 9.5 by air) then drive her to the local restaurant. Return her to work afterward and then fly back to my residence.

Sounds like the evasion of a lot of traffic or rough terrain either way to me. Useful could be and a little Barmanish not to mention better looking than a most sports cars going for more money.

PS I keep an ATV at the cabin.

[Hardtime11]

Reminds me of that old Mask cartoon...anyone remember that?

Actually reminds me more of "Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062803/)" just with a more modern appeal.



You could actually steer it by slip and bank if needed to or have side thrust vents for same.

[Baja_Traveler]

This is the same clown who never got his VTOL skycar off the ground unless it was tethered to a crane. And since the FAA isn't going to let you take off from any old street, You'd need airports just minutes apart - and what about the standard aviation rule-of-thumb of 1/2 hour to an hour extra fuel in case of a change in flight plan? Even if he does get one to fly, the FAA would never allow it to leave the airport.

Nope - he couldn't sell the first one for even $1 million, he'd have to be better than a televangelist to drum up funds for this one.

[ziggy951]

I did a report on the ...second or third..generation Moller car back in college. They claimed the exact same things, only it was aimed at the military. No clue if it ever came to be though. This design looks far different however.

[AZEqualizer]

I have been reading about Moller and his various sky cars forever or so it seems... Good on hype, bad on making anything, always needing more money because he is always "Just that close!"

[ziggy951]

Its kinda funny, its not like the harrier concept is anything new for crying out loud. I think he knows more about design than he does engineering.



Z

[AZEqualizer]

Biofueled Skycar 2009 Expedition plans to drive/fly from London to Timbuktu according to a article on Autobloggreen: (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/11/11/biofueled-skycar-2009-expedition-plans-to-drive-fly-from-london/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/11/silverparajetskycar-450.jpg
There are a lot of green car shows and events taking place around the world and we - sadly - cannot cover them all. But there is one event that I'd love to be a part of in 200: the Skycar Expedition. Billed as the "World's First Bio-fuelled Flying Car," the Skycar (http://www.skycarexpedition.com/about_skycar.php) is part parachute, part fan-powered swamp boat and part X-Bow (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/04/22/how-did-the-ktm-x-bow-do-in-its-racing-debut/). Whereas convertible car makers take about how quickly their vehicles can go from sunny exposure to rainy-day protection, Skycar designers like Gilo Cardozo tell us that conversion from "road mode" to "fly mode" and visa-versa will take three minutes.

To showcase the Skycar's potential, the Skycar Expedition Team is planning a January 2009 flight/drive from London to Timbuktu, a distance of over 6000km (3700 miles). The car uses a lightweight ParaWing that is filled by a huge fan built into the back of the vehicle to achieve theoretical airspeeds of 100 mph. Two people can fit into the steel or aluminum chassis and cruise along at 2,000-3,000 feet. The Times Online (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/features/article5106213.ece) says that the Skycar is certified for road use and can burn ethanol in its modified 140bhp Yamaha R1 engine.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/11/img_07.jpg

[Jack Willard]

Yeah, I saw that parachute one this morning on autobloggreen.com. Although there's not much green about this one with a gas engine.

As to Moller, forget him. He's been fooling around for 40 years. He's all talk.

[ppi]

Moller what a Joke!!! what a waste of money!!! what a poor design!!! people are bad enough on the ground you want them in the air??? Not

[AZEqualizer]

I don't think you will ever see the Moller sky car... but maybe the Cardozo sky car will make it... but if it does in my opinion it will be a recreational vehicle designated to specific areas not a normal commuter.

[AZEqualizer]

Not the fancy one in the post above (Biofueled Skycar 2009 )but the Parajet Skycar has stated its adventure this wednesday Jan 14, 2009. According to the Associated Press. (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jGHe_TtPq9dNdKeAkfxZYXJcQ8AAD95N2CD80)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/media/ALeqM5iYD1QfD_SzARwi10g4QPZbZ-pehQ?size=m

The vehicle, which looks like a dune buggy with a huge fan and a paragliding wing attached, is called the Parajet Skycar.
It was designed by self-taught engineer and inventor Giles Cardozo to fly at up to 70 miles per hour and drive at about 120 miles per hour.

The planned trip is 3,600 miles long. The adventurers hope to arrive in Timbuktu on Feb. 20 after traveling through England, France, Spain, Morocco, the Western Sahara, and Mali.

[Derwin]

Yeah. I seen this on the new today. That vehicle is actually the FIRST "Flying Car" to be street legal according to what I read.

Hmmm. Very interesting. I think it might even be kind of fun!

Derwin

[mariner13]

Powered parachutes fly at 30-40 mph. The only way that critter will reach 70 is with a 30 mh tail wind and you DO NOT fly powered parachutes in 30 mph winds! Cute car, though.

[rogwild]

Anyone wanting to follow the 'expedition' can check out:
http://www.skycarexpedition.com/the_expedition.php

'mariner13', I agree that 'normal' powered parachutes fly at about 30-40 mph, but this 'BEAST' is much heavier than normal. Depending upon what 'airfoil' it is using and how it is trimmed, they may be able to reach higher air speeds. My concern is the SIZE of the wing they need to lift it, and the required 'launch speed' along with the large area that will be required to 'layout the wing' and the smooth surface needed to get them up to 'takeoff' velocity. Should be an 'interesting' journey!

[rogwild]

And it actually 'FLYS'; well sort of, Lift Off, up to about 50' and Touch Down, ..... but Whoa, hang on!!!

s7qg3lNsxmQ&

Should be an 'interesting' Expedition!!! I wonder how many 'sand blasted' props they will go through?

[Miracleman89]

Well I just realized the name " volantor"!!!!! HA HA HA lmao! I wanted the Venture one to be named the volante' !

[mariner13]

Rog,
Chute is barely large enough for the vehicle (if not too small) and doesn't appear to be rigged for very good steering. Could be wind that makes that look worse than it is. Still won't get that soft wing to go much over 40 with any reasonable power plant. Can we say: HUGE PARASITIC DRAG. Yes; we can. Nature of the beast.=y: Have to try that video again. Would only load 2 minutes to me with almost no sound. May have to go direct to y-tube. Fly Safe.:taz:Icons are too much fun. Indulge me for a while and I will probably (maybe) stop over using them.=D