What will it take to get some flying cars?

[Old Man]

Re: What will it take to get some flying cars?

 

You are right about all above. That was not my point. I was trying to say that to operate the aircar on the ground in the current regs one needs a standard driver's license. The instant that the aircar leaves the ground the operator needs now a pilot's license. Disregarding the costs of lessons' date=' the effort to get the driver's license is one simple written and driven exam in most states and that license will work for most ground vehicles (some exceptions apply). However with the pilot's license the operator needs to first go to a class and learn to fly with a licensed instructor then apply for the FAA exam. To make this even worse the base pilot's license does NOT give one the ability to fly the plane. Once the base license is obtained, then the pilot needs to expand the base by passing an exam for each size and style of plane. There is one license for propcrafts, another for jets the size 707s, the size of 727s, more as they get larger, payload type requires its own license, and it only gets more complicated from there.[/quote']

 

Yes, and I said that this would be awesome.

 

 

What I would like to happen is to eliminate this confusion and merge the pilot's into the driver's license and make it so that one license will allow standard ground vehicles to fly. If one desires to go beyond the standard vehicle then the same requirements apply for different sizes of vehicles (just as things are today).

 

You could almost do that now since sport pilot certificates (for flying light sport aircraft) are so easy to get. I think Terrafugia is shooting for their production convertiplane to be an LSA for this reason. There are still issues; the LSA definition specifically does not include any VTOL aircraft, and you can't fly "in furtherance of business" which may or may not preclude you from using it to commute to the office. But one of the biggest requirements for the sport pilot cert is a driver's license.

[Ragitsu]

Re: What will it take to get some flying cars?

 

"A ten car pileup caused a minor nuclear explosion on the Sky-5 today.

 

And in other news: actress queen Lindsey Lohan..."

[baronspam]

Re: What will it take to get some flying cars?

 

OK, imagine that little old man you passed on the commute today, who was looking through the steering wheel instead of over it, could pilot a vehicle weighing several tons that could plunge out of the sky toward your house.

 

Image the guy wearing the wifebeater and leaving the grocery store with 3 cases of beer and a slim jim could pilot a vehicle weighing several tons that could plunge out of the sky toward your house.

 

Image the teenage girl who can and will attempt to text, talk, fax, im, upload, download, reload, and put her makeup on all at the same time, who can pilot a vechile weighing several tons that could plunge out of the sky toward your house.

 

Aircraft should always, and I mean always for all time, be left in the hands of highly trained professionals.

[Old Man]

Re: What will it take to get some flying cars?

 

No, light sport aircraft weigh a maximum of 1320 lbs. A Cessna 152 weighs 1600. Not "several tons". And these aircraft have large drag-inducing wings on them that often make it difficult for them to "plunge" out of the sky. It's not impossible to make them fly straight down at high speed, but they're not lawn darts.

 

Not that GA aircraft aren't dangerous, or that the people flying them shouldn't be trained. But the dangers should not be overstated either.

[baronspam]

Re: What will it take to get some flying cars?

 

No, light sport aircraft weigh a maximum of 1320 lbs. A Cessna 152 weighs 1600. Not "several tons". And these aircraft have large drag-inducing wings on them that often make it difficult for them to "plunge" out of the sky. It's not impossible to make them fly straight down at high speed, but they're not lawn darts.

 

Not that GA aircraft aren't dangerous, or that the people flying them shouldn't be trained. But the dangers should not be overstated either.

 

But we are not talking about light sport aircraft, we are talking about flying cars. To me that implies a reasonably car-like body, minimal wings, and for any kind of practical use in urban environments probably vstall capability. This isn't about why don't more people fly light aircart for jobs that light aircraft would be good at, its about why don't you fly to work, to the mall, the pick up the kids at school, to get your groceries, etc. The stuff you would do with a car, just flying. Thus, FLYING CAR.

 

These vehicles would have to have vstall abilites to be remotely usefull in dense urban environments. If it has to land like a cessna you can't take it anywhere other than an airport, and if that is the case, well, just use a cessna.

 

So I am thinking we are talking about vectored thrust sytems, or some serious fans, and more mass, equipment, and fuel than a cessna style vechile. Ok, maybe not several tons, but definatly heavier than a tiny fiberglass box hanging under a wing hanging behind a prop. Also, there is likely the need for redundant sytems in that I think you would probably like to be able to drive it on the surface as well, at least at low to moderate speed. If you have to use the jets to get it in the garage or pull into the carwash there are probably going to be issues. At minimum some wheels with electric motors, maybe a full second engine for ground transportation

 

Also, if this is a true "flying car" the cabin/passenger area is going to be larger and more luxurious than many light aircraft. Honda's basic flying car model might be a bit like a cessna inside, but you can bet that Mercedes or BMW is going to have a much more plush experience. You are going to need flying vans for little league night. Flying campers for family vacation. That will add weight as well.

 

And I stand by the basic proposition, as I work with the general public in my job, that the great majority of people can't really handle a car that well, let alone an aircraft. If it was as easy to get a pilots license as to get a driver's license these would be slamming to earth like clockwork. People are dumb. How many people drive drunk every Saturday night? Can you immage them trying to fly a somewhat unwieldy vstall craft? Untill we get to the point that we have near 100% reliable computers with the power to fly the vehicle for people, they will never be in widespread use, even if the many tech issues could be solved. People are dumb, drunk, short sighted cave dwellers and three shifts in any customer service job will prove it to you. If you disagree, at least give me time to build a bunker before we begin the self inflicted air raids on our cities.

[Ragitsu]

Re: What will it take to get some flying cars?

 

On the upside, impact resistant roofing will become a booming market.

[Old Man]

Re: What will it take to get some flying cars?

 

But we are not talking about light sport aircraft, we are talking about flying cars. To me that implies a reasonably car-like body, minimal wings, and for any kind of practical use in urban environments probably vstall capability. This isn't about why don't more people fly light aircart for jobs that light aircraft would be good at, its about why don't you fly to work, to the mall, the pick up the kids at school, to get your groceries, etc. The stuff you would do with a car, just flying. Thus, FLYING CAR.

 

These vehicles would have to have vstall abilites to be remotely usefull in dense urban environments. If it has to land like a cessna you can't take it anywhere other than an airport, and if that is the case, well, just use a cessna.

 

So I am thinking we are talking about vectored thrust sytems, or some serious fans, and more mass, equipment, and fuel than a cessna style vechile. Ok, maybe not several tons, but definatly heavier than a tiny fiberglass box hanging under a wing hanging behind a prop. Also, there is likely the need for redundant sytems in that I think you would probably like to be able to drive it on the surface as well, at least at low to moderate speed. If you have to use the jets to get it in the garage or pull into the carwash there are probably going to be issues. At minimum some wheels with electric motors, maybe a full second engine for ground transportation

 

Also, if this is a true "flying car" the cabin/passenger area is going to be larger and more luxurious than many light aircraft. Honda's basic flying car model might be a bit like a cessna inside, but you can bet that Mercedes or BMW is going to have a much more plush experience. You are going to need flying vans for little league night. Flying campers for family vacation. That will add weight as well.

 

Flying cars are by definition going to be "fiberglass boxes" or they aren't going to work. Air travel means light weight, especially if it's going to be operated someplace where downwash/jetwash needs to be minimized. My little Honda weighs more than any non-turboprop single engine plane I can find.

 

 

And I stand by the basic proposition, as I work with the general public in my job, that the great majority of people can't really handle a car that well, let alone an aircraft. If it was as easy to get a pilots license as to get a driver's license these would be slamming to earth like clockwork. People are dumb. How many people drive drunk every Saturday night? Can you immage them trying to fly a somewhat unwieldy vstall craft? Untill we get to the point that we have near 100% reliable computers with the power to fly the vehicle for people, they will never be in widespread use, even if the many tech issues could be solved. People are dumb, drunk, short sighted cave dwellers and three shifts in any customer service job will prove it to you. If you disagree, at least give me time to build a bunker before we begin the self inflicted air raids on our cities.

 

Here we agree. Really widespread flying car use will not happen until autopilot and collision detection systems are perfected. That said, those systems are already pretty close to perfect--they're used every day in much larger, heavier aircraft that carry thousands of people daily. It's much easier to computerize flying than driving, simply because there's a lot less to run into. And the recent explosion of research into UAVs can't hurt.

 

Meanwhile, for drivers of above average competence, sport pilot ratings aren't that hard to get. They're much harder than driver's licenses, with good reason, but I reiterate than any Hero gamer would make a perfectly good sport pilot. Operating an aircraft just isn't that hard unless there's an emergency situation. It's a lot like scuba diving in that regard.

[Ragitsu]

Re: What will it take to get some flying cars?

 

Flying cars are by definition going to be "fiberglass boxes" or they aren't going to work. Air travel means light weight' date=' especially if it's going to be operated someplace where downwash/jetwash needs to be minimized. My little Honda weighs more than any non-turboprop single engine plane I can find.[/quote']

 

Incentive to lose weight?