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You touch on how art draws the viewer into the fantasy of the future. One has to note that this image sells. The populatiry of art is related to its volume, IMO. Take the popularity of Parrish in the 20's, for example.

So, I look upon the fantasy of art in an era as the "wanting" a population holds to some degree. Taking it a step further, they see these things as entirely possible, but not available "just yet". This is the same game played by (say) automakers when displaying their concept cars or just about every Omni magazine. It's a little lottery ticket for the masses of "what could be".

Overall, these things are fun, but rarely are they serious enough to chase. One may end up living the life of Moller

mug

Yes, I agree, the rotary isn't revolutionary any more (no pun intended ;-> ) but it's way ahead of the Victorian reciprocating piston engines in every car in their list. Mazda, virtually on its own, over the last 30-40 years has done so much good work improving the rotary. It is truly an awesome machine. The best car I ever had was my humble old 1983 RX7 :-) Apart from its smoothness and power to weight ratio, it's light and compact too. There are so many applications that can benefit from it. Have a look at the Skycar for starters. I think a hybrid Wankel/electric sports car would be cool too.

Forget the Segway. As long as we are dealing in the pipe dream of alternative transporation, I'd rather put my money here.
And the best part is nobody would think you are gay for showing up to a party in one of them.

When I went to athe Moller website and clicked on Purchase Skycar, I got this response:

"Not Found
The requested URL /purchase was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Apache/1.3.27 Server at www.moller.com Port 80"

I think I'll be watching the eBay auction with interest... and I'm certainly going to check out the feedback the buyer leaves for the seller.

When I went to athe Moller website and clicked on Purchase Skycar, I got this response:

"Not Found
The requested URL /purchase was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Apache/1.3.27 Server at www.moller.com Port 80"

I think I'll be watching the eBay auction with interest... and I'm certainly going to check out the feedback the buyer leaves for the seller.

The site says the car is "personally affordable".

Then, when you click on the purchase link you find out it costs $1,000,000.

This is the 29th year of Moller vaporware. I have a 1974 brochure for Moller's "Discojet", which was supposed to be for sale Real Soon Now. This was a saucer-shaped flyer with eight Wankel engines. The brochure mentions prototypes going back to 1967. So he's been at this for 36 years now. Unsuccessfully.

Not for lack of money, either; substantial funds have gone into this project.

Small thrust-only flyers have been built. Several from the 1950s are at the Hiller Museum in Redwood City, CA, and they actually flew. They have the famous Hiller Flying Platform. Such vehicles are inherently unstable and hard to fly, but not impossible to build. The stability problem ought to be solveable today - many modern military aircraft are stable only because a control system is constantly struggling to keep them stable. But an unstable VTOL is the worst case - aerodynamic control surfaces are ineffective at low speeds, adjusting engine thrust has too much lag, engine gimbals add weight, and thrust deflector plates waste power. The Harrier fighter, after 30 years, remains the only succesful pure-thrust VTOL.

Sorry link to
Moller skycar is here.

Paul Moller, is that you?

link to the sky car

This one DID happen this year. Check out the news link. That was done in October and they are currently testing it. The plan is to go into production soon. In small quantities it will cost about a half million dollars apiece, but once production ramps up, they should be between $50,000 and $100,000 a piece. Currently estimated to get about 28 mpg, 900 miles per tank with a cruise speed of 300 mph. It's about the size of a Suburan and gets better milage with the same fuel. =) Check here for details.

Michael Scanlon

This one DID happen this year. Check out the news link. That was done in October and they are currently testing it. The plan is to go into production soon. In small quantities it will cost about a half million dollars apiece, but once production ramps up, they should be between $50,000 and $100,000 a piece. Currently estimated to get about 28 mpg, 900 miles per tank with a cruise speed of 300 mph. It's about the size of a Suburan and gets better milage with the same fuel. =) Check here for details.

Michael Scanlon

This one DID happen this year. Check out the news link. That was done in October and they are currently testing it. The plan is to go into production soon. In small quantities it will cost about a half million dollars apiece, but once production ramps up, they should be between $50,000 and $100,000 a piece. Currently estimated to get about 28 mpg, 900 miles per tank with a cruise speed of 300 mph. It's about the size of a Suburan and gets better milage with the same fuel. =) Check here for details.

Michael Scanlon

Moller International is still developing it's Skycar. We'll have our flying cars yet!

Yeah, solotrek was pretty crappy.

However the flying cars are coming along nicely, thanks. You should be able to buy one in about 4 years. That is if you aren't connected to the military or something so you don't have to worry about FAA paperwork - in that case possibly only a few months.

The skycar is coming along nicely.

I believe the exhause was made of titanium, and so is the chassis. btw have you SEEN how small the passenger compartment (there is no trunk) is?

I mean... for the same trouble and inconvenience, not mentioning the cost for all the exotic materials and their manufacturing (sorry but steel is about two hundred thirty eight times easier to work with compared to titanium), I would much rather bank on something that sparks the imagination.

right here

here. But you'll only see them comercially in about five years.

Pictures (and ads selling the units) like the personal 1 man helicopter are nothing new and can be found in the back of Popular Mechanics for DECADES - yet you see no one owning one.

Moller SkyCar is a perfect example of something, that to me looks quite dubious... why? Let's see...

• The main page shows the "Freedom Motor" which is a gearbox (ie: small motor transmission - you can find them on small AC power generators) with an automotive starter coupled to it via a flywheel... sorry, though they have lotsa torque, nothing near the power/HP that is needed to fly - much less drive at any decent speed - a car.
• Going to the Freedom Motors site linked to the pic shows all sorts of "motors" - which look more like standard US car alternators or generators (arent they inversely named??). Now, while a generator may be able to be used as a motor, again, the unit would not have enough power to move a car much less fly it...
• Installed engine power: 645 hp (Moller claim) - while their engine site shows 120hp max, a drawing of inconspicuous identity, with the images of alternators and starters being claimed as combustion motors
• While Solotrek seems to have more believable claims - perhaps that is also what makes them so less believable... they're working with lots of government agencies on this project... neat! (Really??? or have those agencies just said "Well, if you get it to work, call us, we'll be interested then").
• Fortunately, to make me a believer, they have a bunch of pictures of "tethered" (from above... ie: suspended on a "rope", superman style) flight. So.... wil it actually work on it's own one day, or does it come with the crane, and crane operator to hoist you into the air? And all for a whopping 19 seconds! Wow! I can make it all the way... across my yard... in that time! My travel problems are over!

Perhaps one day, someone will come up with something that works, or something that looks more realistic or believable. The Wright brothers actually built something and flew it... no tethers, no pictures of alternators and engine starters claimed to be combustion engines... make it, cut the ropes, fly it and then talk to us.

- Rob

The opinions expressed herein are entirely my own. Anyone who agrees with them may also suffer from the same mental problems I do... whatever they are. ;-)

The SoloTrek will likely be available commercially at some point: http://www.solotrek.com/

The Moller Air Car is less likely: http://www.moller.com/skycar/

you are right that we as public cannot buy them yet. but that does not mean it's not there.

moller international has been working on flying cars for a while now and it's very near completion. I would recommend reading more about it here(about middle of page) at zzz.

You can also invest in his company. stock symbol is MLER or something.

you are right that we as public cannot buy them yet. but that does not mean it's not there.

moller international has been working on flying cars for a while now and it's very near completion. I would recommend reading more about it here(about middle of page) at zzz.

You can also invest in his company. stock symbol is MLER or something.

Adult themes: Underage driving, ...

Kids, don't try driving your flying car at home.

How about one of these ?

god that thing is cool looking.

Automotive industry take note. If you want to sell shitloads of cars - make em look as cool as this thing.

Thats what i want my moller car to look like.

You got it: moller.com.

Of all the "personal flight" ideas out there, the Moller skycar seems to have the most potential. I heard the designer, Paul Moller, being interviewed on Coast to Coast AM recently, and was captivated. Looking at the design, it seems very "car-like," with no exposed rotor edges or wings; it basically looks like a car with small jet engines instead of wheels. During the interview, the designer made a big point of explaining the integral safety systems: each turbojet is actually two turbojets, so if one fails the other takes over; there are three separate computers on board (one primary, two backups), etc. It runs on regular gasoline, gets mileage comparable to a car (over 25mpg), is quiet (85dB @ 50 feet, and they're working to reduce it further), and most importantly, is a VTOL (vertical take off and landing) craft. They've been developing this for the last few decades (check their design history on the site) and are working with the FAA to obtain "powered lift" certification for the Skycar- on the interview I remember one of his points was that getting a license for the Skycar should be easier than getting a driver's license.

You gotta see the pictures and info on the website. This thing is cool!

http://www.moller.com/skycar/

It's coming, and maybe in the next 12 months.

The Moller Skycar

Ask and ye shall recieve

recent news of the Moller Skycar

Here you go then. Moller SkyCar.

Nope, they run on unleaded gasoline.

Right here.

How many times has this been posted?

I don't know how many helicopter drones they've been working with. I am aware that a division of Moller, makers of the Skycar, also offer a device with a vertically-mounted engine. Being sold for inspecting bridges, and it has obvious military use.

Over a Moller Int. they say they have a prototype for a flying passenger car. They've defined success as "more than one minute out of ground effect". Further evidence of their advanced technology is the press release is dated Aug 2002 which (today) means its from the future. In the FAQ they say two years and four more for the FAA - $500k for limited production with price dropping to 80k. Might be vaporware, but I want one.

Right here

The Anonymous, non-for-karma, link god has spoken.

Where are all the flying cars???

I was promised flying cars.

The Moller Flying Car.

don't believe the other guy. They are right here

Your flying car is at Moller.

8-)

along with GPS systems implemented in 3D, otherwise we'll have to wait even longer for the flying car to arrive.

Besides how many more deaths might this cause then cell-phones, driving down the road typing up a document in one eye and driving with the other.

Well I don't know about you but I got the feeling this wasn't exactly something that was going to be out "tomorrow". By the time this product is common place enough for people to have a use for it per your example, we wont be driving cars any more. The cars will be flying us to our destination.

Something like this is more likely to be realized in the not-so-distant future.

this argument is found here where a certain Paul Moller has been developing nothing less than a flying car for 30 years, and has dozens of patents to show for it.

I wonder what device the author was trying to describe. The Moller Aerobot is round, but taller than a toilet seat and has no wings.

100,000 dollars for a skycar.

Check out Moller International. They made some UFO-like ground effect vehicles in the past and now are making a vertical take-off and landing vehicle that they hope will replace the car.