Flying car

[Yenn]

I see today on Avweb that there is a new flying car, The Klein air car. A bit of a video and it is a good looking machine. Was doing circuits and apart from the great amount of back stick to rotate, it looked just like any normal aircraft.

The comments after the article were interesting. People thought it would attract massive insurance premiums, which I can understand after seeing posts about insurance here today. Repairs were also considered a problem as a car repairer would not e able to do them. The usefulness of an air car was also questioned, there will neve be as amny as manufacturers would like and also the registration rules would require lights etc and certification for the road, unless production numbers were very low.

It certainly looked good in the video.

[facthunter]

By definition it's probably never really going to happen. Every plane and every car is a compromise It doesn't matter so much with a car but every bit of extra weight and drag is with you all the time you are airborne when it's a plane.  Even having the cars wheels where they are severely compromises the ground handling when it's a plane. As for structural integrity with folding and telescoping parts SCARY. and lots of extra weight.. Nev

[Marty_d]

It really is a silly compromise.  Either something flies well or it drives well - can't have both.  Not sure how much these whizzbang Inspector Gadget car/planes go for, but willing to bet for the same money you could have a beautiful trailered aircraft and a top of the line 4WD to tow it with.

[onetrack]

And you park it in a car park and some donkey in a $300 Commodore sideswipes it, trying to park his POS, and you end up with a non-functional flying machine for 3 months. No thanks.

 

Imagine even hitting a 'roo on the road with it? It'd need a full airworthiness inspection again.

[facthunter]

Have a decent weight aircraft and have a folding small or electric assisted minibike... Aerodromes can be dismal places, often miles out of town. No water No shade. Nev.

[Yenn]

The trailerable plane does not live up to the idea of a flying car. To be usefull a flying car must be able to get to the airport and fly to a destination, then get from the destination airport, to wherever yo finally want to go. Plus do the return trip.

The trailerable aircraft will leave you at Proserpine or Thangool, looking for a taxi to get somewhere els, because who the hell wants to go to Proserpine or Thangool airport?

Considering the advancements in aircraft design, since the Bleriot and Wrights time, we should be able to design a flying car that will fly and drive well. It should not be hard to get anything to drive better than a Land Rover or Ford Falcon.

[facthunter]

A successful aircraft will always be built to fly predominantly, not to do battle on the roads. Even sea planes are compromised and really haven't gone very far for normal airwork (while I love the concept).. Trailering damages Planes and must be done with great caution. Again the idea is often promoted without the downside argument given much weight.

 Useful payload will be minimal taken up by all the elements associated with the road function. Suspension, Brakes for 4 wheels that are bigger than any plane has and transmission usually weighing about as much or more than an engine. Cost???  It's already a problem .This challenge would put it through the roof. and what a servicing nightmare IF it gets tapped by a truck or something or backs into a kerb.. In a modern vehicle creasing of a major structural part writes the the whole thing  off.  Nev