Flying Car - Today's Pilot
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Flying Car - Today's Pilot
Picked up a copy of the latest Today's Pilot magazine at Aero Expo at the weekend. Excellent article on the Molt Taylor Aerocar. Shame the idea has never really caught on with any success.
If anyone is interested there is one for sale in Trade-A-Plane (also picked up at the show!) for US$3.5m.....!
By the way, what did people think of Aero Expo?
If anyone is interested there is one for sale in Trade-A-Plane (also picked up at the show!) for US$3.5m.....!
By the way, what did people think of Aero Expo?
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In the netherlands there is a company actively developing the PAL-V. It has the same principle as the earocar but it uses the carver and a gyrocopter and combines it. So maybe this will seen more often in the future. Also because this machine is easy convertible from a flying machine to a carver and the other way around.
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Molt Taylor flying car
I was hands-on with this particular example some years ago when it was owned by someone who lived at Spruce Creek. He had just gotten it and I was visiting someone one hangar over, he asked me to come give him a hand putting the wings on.
Very fussy procedure, lots of pins, bolts, struts, cable disconnects, obviously not for the turn-the-key-and-go crowd. The "car" part was scary - it was a very light, egg-shaped cabin with four skinny tires. It looked and felt extremely fragile, to the point where in a collision between it and a bicycle, bet on the bicycle.
Once the wings were on, it was even more scary. The owner wasn't ready to test fly it yet, so I didn't have to hurt his feelings (or threaten my own aviation ego) by declining to go for a flight in it.
Personally, I'd feel more comfortable juggling hand grenades than riding in or flying in this thing - just because something CAN be done doesn't mean it is a good idea . . .
Best Regards,
Echo Mike
Very fussy procedure, lots of pins, bolts, struts, cable disconnects, obviously not for the turn-the-key-and-go crowd. The "car" part was scary - it was a very light, egg-shaped cabin with four skinny tires. It looked and felt extremely fragile, to the point where in a collision between it and a bicycle, bet on the bicycle.
Once the wings were on, it was even more scary. The owner wasn't ready to test fly it yet, so I didn't have to hurt his feelings (or threaten my own aviation ego) by declining to go for a flight in it.
Personally, I'd feel more comfortable juggling hand grenades than riding in or flying in this thing - just because something CAN be done doesn't mean it is a good idea . . .
Best Regards,
Echo Mike
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Actually, it really doesn't fly at all badly (for a car). In fact, in many respects the performance is comporable with many other two-seaters from the 1950s (although it does have 148hp). I flew it three times and even took it cross-country. However, I don't think I'd like to drive it any distance - the brakes (rear wheels only) aren't up to much. I wasn't surprised to learn that although no AEROCAR has even been involved in a flying accident, they've had several prangs on the road!
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Typical! You wait ages for a Flying Car - then two come along at once! Did anyone else pick up a copy of Trade-a-Plane at AeroExpo? Take a look at page 59, volume 71, number 21 (first June issue 2008). There's a 1956 AEROCAR for sale, $3.5 million USD!
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There is a video on youtube of the aerocar flying, It drives along normally and tows its wings behind it then u fit the wings when you want to convert it into a plane, I think there is one for sale at the moment aswell for like $3.5 million dollars.. Even though it was originally worth like thousands, well this was a long time ago. There are onlya few in the world and a couple are at a museum. I looked at it flying and it looked dangerous as hell lol
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I can remember reading an article about Molt's creation many (many, many) years ago. I was greatly impressed by the (apparently) ease of conversion from car to kite and back. I also chuckled at the bit where the author stated that the Aerocar with its torquey aero-engine continually out-accelerated the accompanying V8 powered car on a winding hilly road (IIRC).
A couple of weeks ago, I was back in the US again, and visited the museum at Kissimmee while waiting for a propeller to be NDT'd locally. The museum, which carries out Harvard flights, made great noise about the FW190 rebuild ongoing in their hangar.
My attention, however, was drawn to Molt Taylors 'airworthy' Aerocar. I say 'airworthy' as the poor thing had suffered slight hangar rash. This did not distract from the fact that this was truly a car and an aircraft. I closely examined all those interesting corners that hide all the good bits, as well as generally appreciating the genius idea in toto. The Aerocar was even fitted with an ELT.
The propeller ready, we had to leave. As I walked away, I pondered on how long it would be before we see the likes of Molt Taylor's Aerocar again.
Of course, if it was type certified (was it?), someone (individual, group or company) could restart production. Don't know if grandfather rights would extend to the vehicular aspect though.
camlobe
A couple of weeks ago, I was back in the US again, and visited the museum at Kissimmee while waiting for a propeller to be NDT'd locally. The museum, which carries out Harvard flights, made great noise about the FW190 rebuild ongoing in their hangar.
My attention, however, was drawn to Molt Taylors 'airworthy' Aerocar. I say 'airworthy' as the poor thing had suffered slight hangar rash. This did not distract from the fact that this was truly a car and an aircraft. I closely examined all those interesting corners that hide all the good bits, as well as generally appreciating the genius idea in toto. The Aerocar was even fitted with an ELT.
The propeller ready, we had to leave. As I walked away, I pondered on how long it would be before we see the likes of Molt Taylor's Aerocar again.
Of course, if it was type certified (was it?), someone (individual, group or company) could restart production. Don't know if grandfather rights would extend to the vehicular aspect though.
camlobe
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Hi Camlobe, I believe that the CAA issued it with a Type Certificate in 1956, so it is a fully certificated aeroplane. The snag is that these days a new version also needs to be certificated as a car (airbags, ABS, emission control etc etc).
Not easy!
Not easy!
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It may be nothing, but in the video the car on the ground has wheels that look like four spoke alloys, even when taxiing for take off. However the air2air shots show distinctly different yellow flat hubbed wheels
Is there some trickery here? Like the one onthe ground doesnt fly and the one in the air is "air only"? Just a thought
Is there some trickery here? Like the one onthe ground doesnt fly and the one in the air is "air only"? Just a thought
Fly Conventional Gear
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It may be nothing, but in the video the car on the ground has wheels that look like four spoke alloys, even when taxiing for take off. However the air2air shots show distinctly different yellow flat hubbed wheels
Is there some trickery here? Like the one onthe ground doesnt fly and the one in the air is "air only"? Just a thought
Is there some trickery here? Like the one onthe ground doesnt fly and the one in the air is "air only"? Just a thought
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Try the youtube link in post seven, thats the one i watched. Clearly shows four spoke chrome sort of wheels and yellow ones in the air. Maybe they put them on to reduce drag?
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.....the YouTube clip seems to be mixing different footage up; the one shown on the ground has the same registration as the one seen on BBC Two though and certainly throughout the BBC Two programme it has yellow flat hub wheels in the air and on the ground. But during the YouTube clip you're right it does seem to 'change wheels' for the last few seconds of the clip.
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The AeroCar I flew is the same one featured on the BBC. We did not change the wheels prior to flight. I noticed that James May only sat on the right. I flew it from both seats and it is actually easier from the left seat as the control yoke/steering wheel is further out from the panel than the small stick on the right.
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surprised the designer went for a four wheel layout surely an enclosed lightweight 3 wheeler motorbike/car a la bond bug would have been more in tune with aircraft as well as being less restrictive for road use?
I could see a modern equivalent constructed from Kevlar with a modern trendy shape for two people. One nosewheel and two driving wheels. Fixed tail and telescopic wings which wind in and out like a radio aerial :-)
Then when I get into a two hour traffic jam like yesterday on the motorway I can back the traffic off to give me a takeoff roll and leave the traffic jam behind
Pace
I could see a modern equivalent constructed from Kevlar with a modern trendy shape for two people. One nosewheel and two driving wheels. Fixed tail and telescopic wings which wind in and out like a radio aerial :-)
Then when I get into a two hour traffic jam like yesterday on the motorway I can back the traffic off to give me a takeoff roll and leave the traffic jam behind
Pace
