I had to check the date when I read this but it is mid June and not April 1st...
174MPH? Well, straight down if the engine fails perhaps, but how could it achieve anything like that with ducted fans? 45deg nose down to get the trust vector far enough forward - that would be a fun ride wouldn't it? But imagine the drag. And how are those ducted fans going to get clean air to bite on once it gets beyond 40mph or so? No translational lift and no chance of autorotation. Vanes to direct the thrust? That's going to be efficient, turning the air through 90degrees. You'd struggle to get 175mph out of that engine if you put it in a streamlined motorbike, but with that sort of inefficiency and drag surely no more than 60? Nah. Pie in the sky.
Its no more than half a hovercraft without a skirt - An amusing distraction for early evening local TV news and short hovering demos at Truckfest but as transport? Forget it. Stick to hovercraft, at least they do work. Even so, we all know how useful they are.
Last edited by Agaricus bisporus; 21st Jun 2012 at 15:26.