wright1902glider wrote:

Ever see a Wright machine up close? Or even in photos? Until 1905,
everything the Wrights built is better classified as "test equipment"
or "prototype flying machine" than airplane. Not pretty, not refined,
just enough to work out the technical details. And when they did go to
sell their machines in 1906, they had already flown for over 40
minutes. Santos was still measuring his flights in seconds.

Ever see the prototype Skycar? Man! Its pretty! And sexy! And it looks
really good on TV... lots of shiny red carbon-fiber, etc. Can't fly
worth a damn though. If it really works and isn't a scam, why doesn't
Moller just get in it, hover out of ground effect for a minute or so,
and then transition into level flight? Why? Um, because he can't. $100
million+, and he still can't do what both Bell and Ryan did in the
'50's with old helicopter and used tractor parts.

The whole Moller/Skycar thing would make a great
sociology study I think.

I haven't decided whether the investers are a)
greedy, b) stupid, or c)incurable optimists.

I kinda hope the answer is c.