Flying car completes test flight between airports

[cupid_stunt]

There's a few very old threads on this subject, but I thought it deserved a new thread, as we could well be nearing the point where these things could become an everyday reality.

A prototype flying car has completed a 35-minute flight between international airports in Nitra and Bratislava, Slovakia.
The hybrid car-aircraft, AirCar, is equipped with a BMW engine and runs on regular petrol-pump fuel.
Its creator, Prof Stefan Klein, said it could fly about 1,000km (600 miles), at a height of 8,200ft (2,500m), and had clocked up 40 hours in the air so far.
It takes two minutes and 15 seconds to transform from car into aircraft.

I can see an issue with it running on petrol, at the point where we are moving away from fossil fuelled cars.

In 2019, consultant company Morgan Stanley predicted the sector could be worth $1.5trillion (£1tn) by 2040.
And at an industry event on Tuesday, Hyundai Motors Europe chief executive Michael Cole called the concept "part of our future".
It is considered a potential solution to the strain on existing transport infrastructures.

How cool is that?

Flying car completes test flight between airports

The vehicle runs on regular fuel and can travel up to 1,000km while airborne, its creator says.

www.bbc.com

 

[ruffneck23]

That's pretty fucking cool, but id never be able to afford one.

 

[two sheds]

It is considered a potential solution to the strain on existing transport infrastructures.

How many millions of the fucking things will we need for this to become true?

 

[Supine]

I’m pretty sure that if it flew between two airports it’s a plane that looks like a car

 

[cupid_stunt]

I’m pretty sure that if it flew between two airports it’s a plane that looks like a car

But, planes can't do cool things like...

It takes two minutes and 15 seconds to transform from car into aircraft.

The narrow wings fold down along the sides of the car.

Prof Klein drove it straight off the runway and into town upon arrival, watched by invited reporters.

 

[Teaboy]

It is pretty cool and James Bond style (well Bond from the 80's style). It appears to me to be engineering for engineering's sake or to put it another way. Having a bit of fun.

I don't think I'll be seeing these in the skies in numbers in my lifetime.

 

[editor]

Polluting toy for rich cunts in a self important hurry. BURN IT!

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

So, a stupid toy that solves zero transport problems.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Polluting toy for rich cunts in a self important hurry. BURN IT!

I'd expect a fair percentage of them would end up in flames in smashed up heaps on the ground tbf.

 

[Teaboy]

I'd expect a fair percentage of them would end up in flames in smashed up heaps on the ground tbf.

Good point. Enough tried and tested microlights and small planes end up nose down in the dirt.

 

[MickiQ]

There's currently something like thirty-three million cars in the UK so it's not likely these things going to replace a significant number of those. They (along with all the other variants of flying cars) are just going to be toys for the rich. The few hundreds or even thousands of them that are bought are going to be the supercars of the future owned by rich playboys much like McLarens and Bugatti's are now.
It is indeed a cool contraption but not for the common man. True flying cars Blade Runner style (which was supposed to be set 2 years ago) aren't going to happen unless someone invents antigravity which currently at least isn't even theoretically possible.
The rest of us plebs will be forced onto smelly overcrowded buses by teuchter and his thugs.

 

[Saul Goodman]

There's currently something like thirty-three million cars in the UK so it's not likely these things going to replace a significant number of those. They (along with all the other variants of flying cars) are just going to be toys for the rich. The few hundreds or even thousands of them that are bought are going to be the supercars of the future owned by rich playboys much like McLarens and Bugatti's are now.
It is indeed a cool contraption but not for the common man. True flying cars Blade Runner style (which was supposed to be set 2 years ago) aren't going to happen unless someone invents antigravity which currently at least isn't even theoretically possible.
The rest of us plebs will be forced onto smelly overcrowded buses by teuchter and his thugs.

This... And let's not forget the pilots license.
I predict sales of less than 100 units, if they ever get as far as production.

 

[Idris2002]

This... And let's not forget the pilots license.
I predict sales of less than 100 units, if they ever get as far as production.

NARRATOR: they did not get as far as production

 

[salem]

I've seen variations on this story since I was a kid and by all accounts people have shown test flights and prototypes the case since the 40s.

The thing is cars and planes have different competing requirements and the compromises to make it work will always leave you with a shit car or a shit plane - probably both.

If it needs a runway to take off or land then you're left with few people that a car + parking place + Cessna wouldn't be a cheaper, faster, safer and generally more capable affair.

Something that's drone (/quadrocopter) based would be more usable but at that point you might as well get rid of the car bit and just fly point to point.

 

[Saul Goodman]

NARRATOR: they did not get as far as production

I didn't watch the video. I just assumed it could fly

 

[hitmouse]

Obligatory: I thought the Basques had already developed flying car technology back in the 1970s?

 

[Dogsauce]

I think the super-rich should be encouraged to buy airborne technology, especially sketchy stuff like flying cars.

Pray for better results than this: