Moler's Skycar Successfully Transitions From Vertical to HorizontalFlight

On 3 Apr 2005 18:49:25 -0700, "Harry K"
wrote:


Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired wrote:
Well, to be technical about it was a picture I cut out of a magazine
and
folded into a paper airplane. It flew rather nicelly.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

Levity aside, I am certain that the Moller air car -can- achieve
horizontal flight. At least for a short distance off a carriers
catapult.

From what I have seen, Theoretically it should with proper power and
controls be able to fly, BUT the practicality of 4 ducted fans,
reliability and power balancing makes the Osprey tilt rotor look safe
to me.

To provide an operable car should not be beyond reach, but to make
them safe and controllable would probably put them in the price class
of a TBM-700.

I have heard several engineers say they could fix most any thing...
given enough money, but then again one of the engineers working on the
land speed record made the statement (quite a few years ago), Given
enough HP they could even blast the Queen Mary through the sound
barrier.

I guess I'd rate the practicality of both pretty much in the same
region.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Harry K