World's First Flying Car Prepares for Take-off

[Deozaan]

Contrary to reports by The Onion that no flying cars exist or are being built, the Times Online is reporting that flying cars could be available as soon as 18 months from now.

Is it a car? Is it a plane? Actually it’s both. The first flying automobile, equally at home in the sky or on the road, is scheduled to take to the air next month.

If it survives its first test flight, the Terrafugia Transition, which can transform itself from a two-seater road car to a plane in 15 seconds, is expected to land in showrooms in about 18 months’ time.

from http://drudgereport.com/

[gexecuter]

Pretty cool but i guess the market for such a car would be limited since you would need a driver's license AND a flight license in order to use such a thing.

[Deozaan]

Pretty cool but i guess the market for such a car would be limited since you would need a driver's license AND a flight license in order to use such a thing.

Not to mention that it costs an expected retail price of $200,000.

[Ehtyar]

That's not bad when compared to a standard light aircraft, though I would have expected there to be licensing issues for such a vehicle.

Ehtyar.

[cranioscopical]

First, huh?
I still haven't pressed that damned suit!

The W-5 Arrowbile, designed in 1936, was called a "hybrid flying auto." On roads, the all-metal, three-wheeled Arrowbile could travel up to 70 mph; and in the air, 120 mph. Because it had three wheels and a single headlight, the DMV actually classified it as a motorcycle. The Arrowbile was quite easy to operate, as demonstrated by the fact that a businessman with only 35 hours' flight experience flew one from Washington, D.C. in his business suit.

W-5 Arrowbile 1936

[40hz]

If it survives its first test flight

Details, details, details...the devil's always in the details.

[Jimdoria]

The problem with an airplane/car hybrid (besides the dual licensing requirement) is that you can't just take off from wherever. At least in the U.S., you need to take off from an airport, file a flight plan, etc. Otherwise, the big men with the stars on their chest pockets will be wanting a word with you.

There's also the Moeller air car, but it only flies, it doesn't drive. And it runs  into the same issues.

The devil may be in the details, but hell is in the infrastructure. When the car appeared, it made use of the existing horse carriage infrastructure (which caused some controversy, but they were freer times.) When the plane appeared, there was no flight infrastructure to impinge upon. But a flying car today must fit into both the existing car infrastructure and the existing flight infrastructure - which are well entrenched, heavily regulated and protected by numerous interests.