Wilfred Posted October 4, 2006 Posted October 4, 2006 Moller Skycar (as seen in news forum) Moller International’s Skycar for Sale on eBay Technology Applications Safety Performance Operation Advantages Flight Videos Test Plans XM-2 XM-3 XM-4 M200X M150 M400 About Us News Investment Purchase Skycar Sales FAQ Links Contact Tests-New! The Skycar Moller International has developed the first and only feasible, personally affordable, personal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle the world has ever seen. You've always known it was just a matter of time before the world demanded some kind of flying machine which would replace the automobile. Of course, this machine would have to be capable of VTOL, be easy to maintain, cost effective and reliable. Well, we at Moller International believe we have come up with the solution. That solution is the volantor named M400 Skycar. Let's compare the M400 Skycar with what's available now, the automobile. Take the most technologically advanced automobile, the Ferrari, Porsche, Maserati, Lamborgini, or the more affordable Acura, Accord, or the like. It seems like all of the manufacturers of these cars are touting the new and greatly improved "aerodynamics" of their cars. Those in the aerospace industry have been dealing with aerodynamics from the start. In the auto industry they boast of aerodynamics, performance tuned wide track suspensions, electronic ignition and fuel injection systems, computer controllers, and the list goes on. What good does all this "advanced engineering" do for you when the speed limit is around 60 MPH and you are stuck on crowded freeways anyway? Can any automobile give you this scenario? From your garage to your destination, the M400 Skycar can cruise comfortably at 275 MPH (maximum speed of 375 MPH) and achieve up to 20 miles per gallon on clean burning, ethanol fuel. No traffic, no red lights, no speeding tickets. Just quiet direct transportation from point A to point B in a fraction of the time. Three dimensional mobility in place of two dimensional immobility. No matter how you look at it the automobile is only an interim step on our evolutionary path to independence from gravity. That's all it will ever be. Moller International's M400 Skycar volantor is the next step. turtle
Ultralights Posted October 5, 2006 Posted October 5, 2006 first and only feasible, really??? lets see, over 10 yrs in development, Millions spent (wasted?) only ever 1 prototype..... yeah, that was feasible :;)4::;)1:
Wilfred Posted October 5, 2006 Author Posted October 5, 2006 You may have to eat your words one day Most futuristic developments take a long time an a lot of funding to get to a commercially usable stage. even Jabiru has taken nearly 10 years to get where they are today with use of existing proven technology. Anyway i hope i am right one of them skycars in the shed would be way cool
Guest micgrace Posted October 5, 2006 Posted October 5, 2006 Hi At least they supply it with dual ballistic chutes. I'd imagine it would make a great imatation of a brick without propulsion. But all wisecracks aside, one in the shed would be great fun. Micgrace :)
Ultralights Posted October 17, 2006 Posted October 17, 2006 i have always wondered how it would handle a partial engine failure in 1 engine or a complete failure in 1 engine? not to mention maintainence, or lack of if it becomes the new Car. and could you imagine the carnage with the general populace flying around in these? look at how bad some drivers are today on our roads? a savannah would be more suited to what its trying to do! and you could land it in the street out the front of your house, if it were not for power lines! or just buy a helicopter.
maxamos Posted January 27, 2007 Posted January 27, 2007 Sky car I have been following this developement for some time and it hasn't made progress as fast as I had hoped over the last 2 to 3 years, although there has been a definite improvement on their website in the last couple of months. Following on from the last thread though; "i have always wondered how it would handle a partial engine failure in 1 engine or a complete failure in 1 engine? not to mention maintainence, or lack of if it becomes the new Car." in each nacelle ( that is at each corner, so there are four nacelles all up) there is actually 2 engines for that exact reason, in case one engine fails. and could you imagine the carnage with the general populace flying around in these? look at how bad some drivers are today on our roads? This is one of the reasons for the slow progress as Moller are looking at avoidance systems to be incorporated into the skycar and new legislation by the FAA to prevent accidents occurring. It would be great if the project gets off the ground, and I hope that I am around when they get cheap enough to suit an ultralight pilot. Best luck to them, it is a grand idea and has some good specs, did you notice the stated climb speed - WOW.
jimecho1 Posted May 6, 2007 Posted May 6, 2007 These things have been around since the late sixties, but few of them have got off the drawing board. The Moller Skycar (see http://www.moller.com/skyc.htm ) is just another in a long line of slightly higher-flying hovercraft. Just like the emu, the cassowary and the helicopter, the damn things were never meant to fly. There, I've said it and I'm GLAD! Beam me up, Scotty.
Ultralights Posted May 10, 2007 Posted May 10, 2007 i think this has more chance! http://www.cartercopters.com/
jimecho1 Posted May 10, 2007 Posted May 10, 2007 I really don't know, but I'm dubious about anything that uses animations to prove its existence, then asks for deposits on the first aircraft off the production line. Refundable, of course! Still, at least it has more technical elegance than Moller's elephantine monster.
Ultralights Posted May 10, 2007 Posted May 10, 2007 from what i saw in the vids they already have a flying prototype
jimecho1 Posted May 10, 2007 Posted May 10, 2007 The video shows a mix of animation and real film, I think. The VTOL bit is genuine (and impressive) as well as one or two flyovers / flypasts, but the rest is cartoon. It's still got more promise than the skycar though. It IS a gyro, isn't it, albeit with a redesigned, wider-bladed rotor?
coltri Posted December 21, 2007 Posted December 21, 2007 Regarding the Moller skycar con, what type of aerofoil is it, it certainly is not a high lift one, with the wing right at the back the c of g is all wrong, too much weight forward, multiple rotary engines burn a lot of fuel & the skycar cannot hold a lot, this concept is a big hole to throw your money into with no chance of any return.
newairly Posted December 21, 2007 Posted December 21, 2007 The Cartercopter is much more than an autogyro. The rotor is designed to have no lift and little drag at higher speeds where the wings take over. This allows vertical T/O and landing using high inertia in the rotor along with fast and economical cruise. I think it is revolutionary. Prototypes have been flying for some time. It has been at Oshkosh I think. Read about it on their web site and be impressed. Incidentally modern jet transport aircraft are simulated, built and test flown without a prototype. Phil
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