Total Members: 14197
Posted by: Amker
« on: 26. July 2007., 21:41:20 »Remember the cartoon series "The Jetsons" where sometime in the future, everybody had flying cars that could be packed in a briefcase to avoid parking space problems? Well, a company has brought this from the far future of the cartoons to our reality.
They don't know how to fit their car in a suitcase yet, but they sure can make it fly. And it looks like a flying
saucer, too. The Moller M200G Volantor is a 2 person UFO-like VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft that can fly up to a height of 3 meters (10 feet).
Also called the Skycar, obviously, it can travel as fast as 50mph and fly for up to 90minutes, at the electronically limited altitude, just to avoid the need to pass Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.
However, this is just the civilian model, as they also have military and rescue versions that would have to comply with these regulations. The company has already started making the 67 cars for which they have firm orders and hope that if series production increases, the price could fall to just $90,000.
The 2 seater claim of the manufacturers is somewhat exaggerated, as the maximum payload is of only 250 pounds (113 kg), but its inventor, Dr. Paul Moller, calls it "the ultimate off-road vehicle" as it is able to travel over any surface.
"It's not a hovercraft, although its operation is just as easy. You can speed over rocks, swampland, fences, or log infested waterways with ease because you're not limited by the surface. The electronics keep the craft stabilized at no more than 10 feet altitude, which places the craft within ground effect where extra lift is obtained from operating near the ground. This lets you glide over terrain at 50 mph that would stop most other vehicles" he explains.
The size of a small automobile, the flying car is powered by eight rotary (Wankel) engines, also made by the company, but no mileage data is available. However, many people would like to drive/fly it, at least for fun, if not to work.
After all, ATVs were first designed for work in rough terrain and now they're booming..
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They don't know how to fit their car in a suitcase yet, but they sure can make it fly. And it looks like a flying
saucer, too. The Moller M200G Volantor is a 2 person UFO-like VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft that can fly up to a height of 3 meters (10 feet).
Also called the Skycar, obviously, it can travel as fast as 50mph and fly for up to 90minutes, at the electronically limited altitude, just to avoid the need to pass Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.
However, this is just the civilian model, as they also have military and rescue versions that would have to comply with these regulations. The company has already started making the 67 cars for which they have firm orders and hope that if series production increases, the price could fall to just $90,000.
The 2 seater claim of the manufacturers is somewhat exaggerated, as the maximum payload is of only 250 pounds (113 kg), but its inventor, Dr. Paul Moller, calls it "the ultimate off-road vehicle" as it is able to travel over any surface.
"It's not a hovercraft, although its operation is just as easy. You can speed over rocks, swampland, fences, or log infested waterways with ease because you're not limited by the surface. The electronics keep the craft stabilized at no more than 10 feet altitude, which places the craft within ground effect where extra lift is obtained from operating near the ground. This lets you glide over terrain at 50 mph that would stop most other vehicles" he explains.
The size of a small automobile, the flying car is powered by eight rotary (Wankel) engines, also made by the company, but no mileage data is available. However, many people would like to drive/fly it, at least for fun, if not to work.
After all, ATVs were first designed for work in rough terrain and now they're booming..
bbc
[attachment deleted by admin]