Air-Car, Anyone?
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Philadelphia PA
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Nick:
I rather like the way you started this thread - lob in the grenade and watch the fun start!
I think Moller has been around for a lot longer than most people realize - personally, I think the cycle length is about 7 to 8 years between resurfacing.
Does anyone know how far off the ground he's actually ever gotten the machine??
I did some work for a European company several years ago that appeared to have cracked several of the problems for such a vehicle. It ended up not going forward for a variety of reasons, but they did have the power problem licked (and the control problem as well).
(how's that for a teaser???)
I rather like the way you started this thread - lob in the grenade and watch the fun start!
I think Moller has been around for a lot longer than most people realize - personally, I think the cycle length is about 7 to 8 years between resurfacing.
Does anyone know how far off the ground he's actually ever gotten the machine??
I did some work for a European company several years ago that appeared to have cracked several of the problems for such a vehicle. It ended up not going forward for a variety of reasons, but they did have the power problem licked (and the control problem as well).
(how's that for a teaser???)
Join Date: Oct 2002
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Interesting to see that a new section has now been added to the original article, reflecting the fact that Moller has been making these claims for years and noting that the SEC even took the company to court in California in 2003 over its fraudulent claims.
I/C
I/C
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Looks like the cycles are coming around more frequently, stand by for self destruction.
M
A California-based company says it is developing a flying car based on a Ferrari.
Moller International says it will use a 599 GTB Ferrari as the basis of its Autovolantor flying supercar.
The Autovolantor’s designer, Bruce Calkins has told London’s Daily Telegraph the car’s driver will be able to take off and land vertically, hover above traffic, then accelerated to 240km/h in the air.
The car’s ground speed would be about 160km/h, he says. Cruising distance would be about 240km on the ground and 150km in the air.
The Autovolantor’s eight thrusters develop about 600kW – up from the 456kW produced by the current 599 GTB Fiorano’s V12 engine.
"Once in the air the vehicle manoeuvres like a helicopter, tilting nose down to move forward, rolling right or left for changes in direction,” (..before it crashes in a ball of flame) Calkins told The Telegraph.
The designer said he’d chosen the Ferrari because of its aerodynamic shape. (...and its red) He says it will fly about 1.5km off the ground. "While maximum altitude could be much higher, the energy to obtain altitudes above 5,000 feet would be significant so we expect it to stay below that height," he said.
The company tested the project’s viability using a scale model of the Ferrari in a wind tunnel.
"At first we were very sceptical that we could adapt a ground-vehicle with our technologies and make it work,” Calkins said. "But the model allowed us to quickly verify that it could in fact be done."
The flying Ferrari’s ability to “quick hop out of traffic” would make the project more attractive to backers (wankers)willing to fund the project, he said.
A production Autovolantor would cost about A$1.2million in Europe, he said.
Moller International isn’t new to flying car projects. The brainchild of inventor, Dr Paul Moller, the flying car concept has been around in one form or another since the early 1980s, when Dr Moller set up his company to “design, develop, manufacture and market personal vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL)”.
Moller has built prototypes of what he calls flying cars but, until now, they’re looked more like, well, aeroplanes than cars.
The pundits will tell you the concept is well and truly pie in the sky and the project will need to hurdle a legal minefield of regulations relating to both road and air traffic before it even gets off the ground. And there’s no official word from Ferrari about its thoughts on the project.
But anyone old enough to remember TV’s The Jetsons will tell you they’ve been waiting patiently since the 1960s to park a flying car in their garage.
M
A California-based company says it is developing a flying car based on a Ferrari.
Moller International says it will use a 599 GTB Ferrari as the basis of its Autovolantor flying supercar.
The Autovolantor’s designer, Bruce Calkins has told London’s Daily Telegraph the car’s driver will be able to take off and land vertically, hover above traffic, then accelerated to 240km/h in the air.
The car’s ground speed would be about 160km/h, he says. Cruising distance would be about 240km on the ground and 150km in the air.
The Autovolantor’s eight thrusters develop about 600kW – up from the 456kW produced by the current 599 GTB Fiorano’s V12 engine.
"Once in the air the vehicle manoeuvres like a helicopter, tilting nose down to move forward, rolling right or left for changes in direction,” (..before it crashes in a ball of flame) Calkins told The Telegraph.
The designer said he’d chosen the Ferrari because of its aerodynamic shape. (...and its red) He says it will fly about 1.5km off the ground. "While maximum altitude could be much higher, the energy to obtain altitudes above 5,000 feet would be significant so we expect it to stay below that height," he said.
The company tested the project’s viability using a scale model of the Ferrari in a wind tunnel.
"At first we were very sceptical that we could adapt a ground-vehicle with our technologies and make it work,” Calkins said. "But the model allowed us to quickly verify that it could in fact be done."
The flying Ferrari’s ability to “quick hop out of traffic” would make the project more attractive to backers (wankers)willing to fund the project, he said.
A production Autovolantor would cost about A$1.2million in Europe, he said.
Moller International isn’t new to flying car projects. The brainchild of inventor, Dr Paul Moller, the flying car concept has been around in one form or another since the early 1980s, when Dr Moller set up his company to “design, develop, manufacture and market personal vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (VTOL)”.
Moller has built prototypes of what he calls flying cars but, until now, they’re looked more like, well, aeroplanes than cars.
The pundits will tell you the concept is well and truly pie in the sky and the project will need to hurdle a legal minefield of regulations relating to both road and air traffic before it even gets off the ground. And there’s no official word from Ferrari about its thoughts on the project.
But anyone old enough to remember TV’s The Jetsons will tell you they’ve been waiting patiently since the 1960s to park a flying car in their garage.
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Knowing the difficulties I have at the moment .. getting my rebellious teenage offsprings to belt up, what chance would I have in telling them to .. either Eject or jump and pull your cord, NONE AT ALL.
so I dont think I need to bother with the multi seat version, I think I'll just go for the 2 seater.
However I feel that the motive power unit should be going down the avenue of "Anti Gravity" to lift off rather than some old fashioned IC engine, then possibly some sort of "Ion Drive" for tractive power, that would be a much better options, green as well(I think)
Lastly , why have the rascal on wheels, just tune the "Anti Gravity" to 10"(or 254mm for EU people) and orft you would go merrily along the highways, well in theory,.... you wouldn't need highways, come to think of it you could travel across water. ......Hold on I think I have a plan here!
Are there any Backers or Bankers( yes Bankers) out there, who would like to share in this comming Global express vehicle, if so please PM me quickly
Peter R-B CEO
AG & ID Rapid Transit Co, Inc, GmBh, C/O Pprune Rotorheads
so I dont think I need to bother with the multi seat version, I think I'll just go for the 2 seater.
However I feel that the motive power unit should be going down the avenue of "Anti Gravity" to lift off rather than some old fashioned IC engine, then possibly some sort of "Ion Drive" for tractive power, that would be a much better options, green as well(I think)
Lastly , why have the rascal on wheels, just tune the "Anti Gravity" to 10"(or 254mm for EU people) and orft you would go merrily along the highways, well in theory,.... you wouldn't need highways, come to think of it you could travel across water. ......Hold on I think I have a plan here!
Are there any Backers or Bankers( yes Bankers) out there, who would like to share in this comming Global express vehicle, if so please PM me quickly
Peter R-B CEO
AG & ID Rapid Transit Co, Inc, GmBh, C/O Pprune Rotorheads
Joke Who Me 
There are dozens out there honest
Try these sites And that's only page 3
Alphabetical listing Page 3
Unreal Aircraft - Roadable Aircraft - Hafner Rotabuggy Flying Jeep
Think some one in a white coat is calling, still slow day at the office.
AVweb's AirVenture 2008 Video #9: Terrafugia Roadable Aircraft ('Flying Car') at Oshkosh
There are dozens out there honest
Try these sites And that's only page 3
Alphabetical listing Page 3
Unreal Aircraft - Roadable Aircraft - Hafner Rotabuggy Flying Jeep
Think some one in a white coat is calling, still slow day at the office.
AVweb's AirVenture 2008 Video #9: Terrafugia Roadable Aircraft ('Flying Car') at Oshkosh
Last edited by 500e; 10th Nov 2008 at 11:34. Reason: latest
