Dutch 'flying car' takes to the skies

http://www.physorg.com ^ | 04-03-2012 | Staff

[Joe 6-pack]

"...there is a hitch -- it requires 165 metres of runway to take off..."

Might be able to shorten that up a bit with a good catapult :-)

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Obama's environmentally friendly flying car...

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

I had to fly extensively in helicopters in my youth. I was young, stupid and ‘invincible’.

I’ll never again get on a helicopter unless it has wings.

[Hunton Peck]

"Cut me off, will you?"

[aruanan]

The PAL-V:

[Cowman]

Autogyros have been around since the 1920’s yet have never progressed beyond the experimental stage except for a WWII Japanese prototype that was said to have been used as a submarine hunter

Actually I think Mitt had one patrolling the 2002 Olympics.

[Dead Corpse]

Actually, the design is based off the Carver. Tricycle motorbike design with a tilting cab. About as street-worthy as your average high-end moped.

Rear wheels are powered via transmission just like any other trike set-up. PTO for the deployed rotorhead.

I've had my eye on this company since first catching wind of them a few years back.

I WANT MY FLYING CAR. I don't care who makes it.

[Steely Tom]

"...there is a hitch -- it requires 165 metres of runway to take off..."

Alaska STOL Contest. See it now and believe it later.

[bgill]

Yikes, he’s not going to make a three point landing.

[cuban leaf]

—Take cue from former three wheel ATV manufacturers why don’t you?—

Did you notice it leans in the curves?

[EQAndyBuzz]

Guy in the cockpit(front seat?) looks pretty happy and confident. Bet he is listening to Rush in that headset.

[BlueMondaySkipper]

Based on my anecdotal observations of the auto handling ability of the typical “driver”, There is no way I can support allowing them to fly. People who can barely handle two dimensions of motion should not be allowed to add a third.

[Nebr FAL owner]

Agreed let folks who read the morning paper ,shave ,drink coffee from a regular mug while in rush hour traffic is just begging for blood gits & feathers to be scattered all over the place.

[PeterPrinciple]

The military is looking at a flying humvee...............

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-10/darpas-flying-humvee-moving-prototype-phase

[Gaffer]

Not worth arguing. 112 MPH? Won’t be on the roads.
Also impractical for the consumer

[Publius6961]

That must have been a wicked crosswind landing!

[SwampFoxOfVa]

If you look at the windsock behind the craft you will notice that there was a pretty good crosswind.

Best regards,
SF

[texson66]

As I flight instructor, I really can’t see the “flying car” evertaking off (pun intended)even if it were only 40K!

It’s difficult enough to teach some to drive a car let alone an airplane!(Just imagine the idiot who cuts you off in auto traffic flying about!)

[achilles2000]

You’ve identified why the skies wouldn’t resemble a freeway at rush hour, even with inexpensive gyro-planes. If you go to the website or see one fly, however, it is amazing.