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#1
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ground travel
Does anybody have a good way to get around on the ground to explore? Once I get to an airport, I have to walk because a bike doesn't fit in a 150 or 172! (Rollerskates are Okay but a little weird in a restaurant) I love flying to the islands of lake erie but I want some better ground travel. Ideas?
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#2
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ground travel
On Mar 24, 6:29*pm, twisbar
wrote: Does anybody have a good way to get around on the ground to explore? Once I get to an airport, I have to walk because a bike doesn't fit in a 150 or 172! *(Rollerskates are Okay but a little weird in a restaurant) I love flying to the islands of lake erie but I want some better ground travel. *Ideas? twisbar If you have the money and they are being produced & sold yet, you should use a Terrafugia Transition. Surely the most enjoyaable way of getting around after arriving at the airport! Check it out here on You Tube. Don't even have to get out of the cockpit to start "getting around, which is cool if it's raining. Rapture Flight |
#3
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ground travel
On 5/20/2013 4:42 PM, Ricky wrote:
If you have the money and they are being produced & sold yet, you should use a Terrafugia Transition. Initial deliveries were promised in 2011, yet Wiki tells us:"In January 2013 development continued and the company announced that it might be necessary to construct a third, completely new prototype, due to the large number of modifications required. The modifications to date have improved the previous handling characteristics and also improved aesthetics." So keep your nearly $300,000 in the bank for a bit longer! Anything can happen, and to be fair it looks far closer to reality than the Moller Skycar. But if history is any guide, this will turn out to be at best a limited production rich man's toy. At worst, it will languish on for decades as an attractive sinkhole for investor's treasure. |
#4
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ground travel
In article ,
Vaughn wrote: On 5/20/2013 4:42 PM, Ricky wrote: If you have the money and they are being produced & sold yet, you should use a Terrafugia Transition. Initial deliveries were promised in 2011, yet Wiki tells us:"In January 2013 development continued and the company announced that it might be necessary to construct a third, completely new prototype, due to the large number of modifications required. The modifications to date have improved the previous handling characteristics and also improved aesthetics." So keep your nearly $300,000 in the bank for a bit longer! Anything can happen, and to be fair it looks far closer to reality than the Moller Skycar. But if history is any guide, this will turn out to be at best a limited production rich man's toy. At worst, it will languish on for decades as an attractive sinkhole for investor's treasure. Terrafugia recently did a PR blitz for a tiltrotor flying car, that is quite Mollerish in design. The Transition is closer to reality, but putting out a Moller-like concept to drum up more investors isn't a good sign. John -- John Clear - http://www.clear-prop.org/ |
#5
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ground travel
On 5/21/2013 10:51 AM, John Clear wrote:
Terrafugia recently did a PR blitz for a tiltrotor flying car, that is quite Mollerish in design. The Transition is closer to reality, but putting out a Moller-like concept to drum up more investors isn't a good sign. I agree. That PR blitz for such an unlikely flying vehicle concept makes me less confident in the company, not more. At this point they should be concentrating on bringing their first design to fruition, not branching out in strange directions. |
#6
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ground travel
In article ,
Vaughn wrote: On 5/21/2013 10:51 AM, John Clear wrote: Terrafugia recently did a PR blitz for a tiltrotor flying car, that is quite Mollerish in design. The Transition is closer to reality, but putting out a Moller-like concept to drum up more investors isn't a good sign. I agree. That PR blitz for such an unlikely flying vehicle concept makes me less confident in the company, not more. At this point they should be concentrating on bringing their first design to fruition, not branching out in strange directions. One historical fact: Nobody has ever designed and built either a flying car or a roadable airplane that wasn't both a poorly-performing airplane and a crappy automobile. I don't see Terrafugia deviating from this history. |
#7
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ground travel
On May 21, 4:43*pm, Vaughn wrote:
On 5/21/2013 10:51 AM, John Clear wrote: Terrafugia recently did a PR blitz for a tiltrotor flying car, that is quite Mollerish in design. *The Transition is closer to reality, but putting out a Moller-like concept to drum up more investors isn't a good sign. I agree. *That PR blitz for such an unlikely flying vehicle concept makes me less confident in the company, not more. *At this point they should be concentrating on bringing their first design to fruition, not branching out in strange directions. The vehicle is preposterous. They could only be concentrating on attracting more $. ----- - gpsman |
#8
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ground travel
On Tue, 21 May 2013 10:03:30 -0400, Vaughn wrote:
to be fair it looks far closer to reality than the Moller Skycar. The Terrafugia Transition has actually been flown by a pilot (without a tether). Here's a link: http://www.terrafugia.com/aircraft/image-gallery. I don't believe you can say that about Moller's effort, despite its having many more years in development. |
#9
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ground travel
On 24/05/13 08:29, Larry Dighera wrote:
On Tue, 21 May 2013 10:03:30 -0400, Vaughn wrote: to be fair it looks far closer to reality than the Moller Skycar. The Terrafugia Transition has actually been flown by a pilot (without a tether). Here's a link: http://www.terrafugia.com/aircraft/image-gallery. I don't believe you can say that about Moller's effort, despite its having many more years in development. Like the 'solar powered aircraft' just another toy |
#10
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Solar Powered Aircraft (Was: ground travel)
On Fri, 24 May 2013 08:37:29 +1200, george152 wrote:
the 'solar powered aircraft' just another toy Hmmm... Are you referring to this one http://www.flyingmag.com/news/two-place-electric-cessna-172-skyhawk? Two-Place Electric Cessna 172 Skyhawk By Mark Phelps / Published: Nov 18, 2010 Flying Magazine | The World’s Most Widely Read Aviation Magazine Enlarge Photo You could say the bad news is that Bye Energy's plan for an electric Cessna 172 will have only two seats and an endurance of two hours. But the good news for flight schools might far outweigh those drawbacks. For one, the energy costs to fly the airplane are expected to be less than $10 per hour. Time between overhauls on the electric motor are expected to be as much as 25,000 hours, decimating maintenance bills. Power comes from a bank of lithium ion batteries, solar panels and innovative windmill technology that reclaims energy from the wingtip vortices. The electric motor (rated at the equivalent of 180 hp) weighs just 42 pounds, and there is obviously no fuel load to consider, but those weight savings are offset by the battery pack. The nose will be more tapered, and a six-blade composite prop will provide more efficient thrust (since its role as an engine-cooling fan is off the agenda). Weight and balance are said to be unchanged from that of a conventional Skyhawk. The combination of electric motor and new prop also promise much quieter operation in the training environment. Bye Energy President George Bye hopes to have a proof of concept aircraft flying (with a more conventional two-blade propeller) sometime next year. Perhaps, but this one is a toy I'd love to own: http://electraflyer.com/electraflyer-uls.php Introducing the ElectraFlyer-ULS! 21 hours flight time as of Feb1 2013 Technical Details Motor: 20HP direct drive Cruise Speed: 40MPH Flight Duration: 2 hours with full battery packs Battery Packs: Battery packs 1x4.0kwh standard, 2x4.0kwh option Weight: Empty weight Maximum Take-off Weight (MTOW) All carbon fiber construction 245 lbs 525 lbs Best L/D: 20:1 Min sink rate: 236 ft/min Price: $59K US ready to fly And then, there's this one: http://www.solarimpulse.com/en/. I wouldn't characterize it so much as a toy, given that it has successfully flown half way across the North American continent; more a proof of concept: Flight Phoenix KPHX - Dallas KDFW Pilot: André Borschberg, Co-Founder and CEO Take off time: May 22nd 04:47AM MST (UTC-7) Landing time: May 23rd 01:08AM CDT (UTC-5) Flight duration: 18h21min Average ground speed: 84 km/h ( 45,3 kt) Highest altitude reached: 27 000 ft Flight Distance: 1541 km (~832 NM) To mention any of these in the same breath as Moller is just a little misleading.... |
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