Do You Guys Think This Will Ever Work?

[stratman]

Dr. Paul Moller is quite the interesting scientist and he's been at this a loooong time. What's your opinion? Will it or won't it? I hope that it succeeds.


http://www.moller.com/

Here's a video of the volantor in action:


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4065135216526971165

 

[MUDSHARK]

Pretty cool but I'll bet it really uses fuel. George Jetson may be closer than I thought.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Dr. Paul Moller is quite the interesting scientist and he's been at this a loooong time. What's your opinion? Will it or won't it? I hope that it succeeds.


http://www.moller.com/

Here's a video of the volantor in action:


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4065135216526971165

And who will qualify for a pilots license? Not to mention how to hover those puppies. Or the noise in the neighborhood.

 

[Thaedium]

Now we will have to add air-collision insurance with life insurance... great...


No thanks, cars are fine for now. The day is yet far away from the time when personal aircraft are the norm. The technology is there, sure, but the practicality in it certainly isn't.

 

[Rickster71]

With only seven employees; I wonder if they might be a good take over target for a bigger company.

I thought, maybe some type of emergency application.
Though the power to weight ratio isn't
so good.
It would have some recreational value, for licensed pilots.
I could never imagine the general public using them; they can barley drive cars.

 

[Halon451]

Dr. Paul Moller is quite the interesting scientist and he's been at this a loooong time. What's your opinion? Will it or won't it? I hope that it succeeds.


http://www.moller.com/

Here's a video of the volantor in action:


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4065135216526971165

This idea of flying cars came about almost as soon as the first Model T hit the market - of course by then, mankind had already invented a way to fly, so it's logical to try and combine the two. Hey, it worked on the Jetsons didn't it?

I personally don't think we will ever see a true flying car in our lifetime - there are way too many logistics to work out, even if the technology already exists. For one, do we issue standard Driver's licenses or Pilot's licenses? How do we regulate the airspace as we do our roads? How do we make these cars reliable enough that companies will insure them? When a standard car breaks down, you simply pull over to the side of the road - it could be just a busted hose or something. But, a busted hose that overheats an engine in a flying car and causes it to seize results in a catastrophic accident, and most likely one or more fatalities.

Still - the idea is just so cool - it appeals to the inner science geek in me.

 

[Davemcc]

It seems to me that he's been working on this forever and it doesn't seem like he's come that far in the last few years. I can't say that I know that much about it, but it seems to pop up from time to time without much new info. I hate to say it, but even if the product works exactly as he intended, the regulatory hurdles for the concept will be the real killer.

 

[10010011]

I will have to side with the Halon451 on this one.

For all the reasons he mentioned and many more, they are doomed to be nothing more then a novelty.

Cool, yes, but practical? no.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I thought, maybe some type of emergency application.
Though the power to weight ratio isn't
so good.
.

Helicopters are here and now and in operation. with long cables and baskets or slings.

 

[jonnythan]

We'll never drive ourselves in flying cars.

Maybe low-flying mass transit systems. But none of us will ever see anything remotely approaching flying vehicles piloted by common citizens.

 

[Rickster71]

Helicopters are here and now and in operation. with long cables and baskets or slings.

I was thinking more like a replacement for a motorcycle, or ATV.
Something with the ability to extract one or two victims, and fly them to a
hospital. Though it doesn't sound like it has enough lift.

At the very least, this guy had a great life doing something he loved to do.
He had a job that was as enjoyable as a hobby.

 

[stratman]

Well from what I've been reading lately on the "Skycar," you'll need a private pilot's license and ironically you won't be doing the flying. On-board GPS and computerized guidance systems will not allow human interaction, you'll be the passenger only. This doesn't apply to the military version. I read on the site where NASA has developed and is waiting for the FAA to approve a system of virtual highways in the sky, I guess this is what will allow adoption by the well-to-do public. With this system (according to Moller Int.) sky highways will be safer. The aircraft has redundant flight systems (multiple engines per nacelles) that will lower the probability of a catastrophic failure and in the slight chance that were to happen, and automatic deployed parachute will safely land the aircraft. I would see this machine being applied as air taxis, search and rescue (faster than a chopper), military apps, ranch work. I dread the thought of these things flying over my house though, with civilians (public at large) at the helm, especially the way they drive down here.