Flying car begins production

[Blue Velvet]

Yeah... just like the Jetsons!

...Moller International, a company founded by a UC Davis professor devoted to developing a flying car, announced in a statement recently that it has begun production for its "Jetsons-like M200G Volantor, a small airborne, two passenger, saucer-shaped vehicle that is designed to take off and land vertically."

Flying an estimated 10 feet off the ground, which allows it to avoid regulation by the FAA, the M200G takes to the air with the help of eight Rotapower rotary engines.

According to the company, flight times, once airborne, could last between 45 minutes and 90 minutes, depending on the vehicle's speed. It's expected to zip through the air as fast as 50 mph, said Bruce Calkins, general manager of Moller International.

Although it sounds like vapour-ware, can you imagine the noise these things would make?


http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/Story?id=3398892&page=1

Videos and pics at http://www.moller.com/

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/21/moller-m200g-hovercraft-heading-into-production/

 

[adrianblaine]

very cool! I always dreamed of that when I was a kid... but I don't trust a lot of the population to drive normal cars, let alone ones that can fly...

 

[dmw007]

That is awesome!

I can't wait to place an order for one of them- provided my credit card issued by MI-6 has a high enough credit limit.

 

[Gymnut]

I remember reading about the Moller 400 SkyCar some years back. Always reminded me of a flying version of the Batmobile.

http://www.21stcentury.co.uk/technology/moller_m400_skycar.asp

 

[Hummer]

It looks cool, but I can't think of it as any more than a small aircraft.

...

I still want one though.

 

[dmw007]

I remember reading about the Moller 400 SkyCar some years back. Always reminded me of a flying version of the Batmobile.

It does look similar to the Batmobile- only in bright red instead of jet black.

 

[zap2]

Pretty cool...but I'll be a bit more interested when I see a video of it working, and a price tag( and when that price is something the average person can pay for)


Hey, wait, there is a video on that site!

 

[obeygiant]

NIce price list


Delivery Position min. deposit amount List Price
25 - 100 $100,000 $995,000
101 - 200 $25,000 $750,000
201 - 500 $10,000 $500,000


Performance Specifications & Equipment List:

Guaranteed Performance
Passengers 4
Maximum speed 375 MPH
Cruise speed (20,000 ft.) 275 MPH
Range 750 Miles
Size Large automobile
Best mileage approx. 20 MPG
Useful payload 750 lbs
Can hover with one engine failed
Uses non-fossil fuel (ethanol)

 

[iMeowbot]

Although it sounds like vapour-ware,

Oh it is, it is. This is the one I wanted when I was a kid, and apparently it hasn't changed much since 1970!

[Ed: and that video is from back then. Vapor indeed :/ ]

 

[ecche]

Cool! In the video it looks like a flying spa pool. Just imagine how embarrasing it will be to be nicked for FUI - in your birthday suit ...

 

[SkyBell]

very cool! I always dreamed of that when I was a kid... but I don't trust a lot of the population to drive normal cars, let alone ones that can fly...

If it only fly's 10 feet off the ground, it doesnt seem to be much of a problem.

 

[obeygiant]

If it only fly's 10 feet off the ground, it doesnt seem to be much of a problem.

I think this thing flies at like 13000 feet. I would prefer to be a little closer to the ground too.

 

[cleanup]

It's things like this that make me giggle.

I doubt we'll be using flying cars anytime soon. I don't think the general public has the capacity to control such things—when we are in flying cars, they'll be driven for us.

So what kind of licenses and permits do you need to operate this thing legally?

 

[adrianblaine]

If it only fly's 10 feet off the ground, it doesnt seem to be much of a problem.

they would have to make these things extremely steady for the general population to fly. Not to mention getting rid of all stop lights and telephone lines. There is tons of junk 10 feet up...

 

[Abstract]

What's the point in having a flying car that's slow and crap?

And besides, doesn't it work on the same idea as a helicopter? I'm not really that surprised that a flying car can be made this way. Maybe I'm difficult to impress?

 

[dmw007]

What's the point in having a flying car that's slow and crap?

And besides, doesn't it work on the same idea as a helicopter? I'm not really that surprised that a flying car can be made this way. Maybe I'm difficult to impress?

Would it impress you if it came with photon torpedoes and active camoflauge?

 

[iGav]

the M200G takes to the air with the help of eight Rotapower rotary engines.

That doesn't look to be anything other than a suitably un-elegant attempt at solving the engineering problems of the Avrocar from the '50's.

Particularly when an elegant and sophisticated solution can reduce the engine requirement from 7 down to just 1.

"I was always going on to people about how hovercraft could become flying saucers,"

"They got fed up with it and said, "Get on and make one then!" So I did."

Clever sod.

GFS Projects Limited

Interview with Mr Geoff "Jetson" Hatton.

They just need to make it bigger. Which I believe they're in the process of doing.

 

[MacNut]

10 feet up isn't all that high considering most houses are 15-30 feet. Where is one supposed to fly this thing, in an open field?

 

[IJ Reilly]

It looks cool, but I can't think of it as any more than a small aircraft.

It's not an airplane. With ten feet of maximum "altitude" it's more like a hovercraft. Moller is also trying to develop a "sky car" (pictured above) which would be a real airplane, but also has about zero chance of ever being produced commercially.

 

[Abstract]

Would it impress you if it came with photon torpedoes and active camoflauge?

Didn't James Bond drive that car like 5 years ago?

 

[Zwhaler]

Wirelessly posted (LGE-VX9900/1.0 UP.Browser/6.2.3.2 (GUI) MMP/2.0)

i want one... Once they are the norm. I dont trust these partially experimental machines