Flying Cars And Roadable Aircraft

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.apnews.com/a9a715097488467abd0c1a8c3cceabf7

"FILE - In this Saturday, June 3, 2017, file photo, Tsubasa Nakamura, project leader of Cartivator, third from left, watches the flight of the test model of the flying car on a former school ground in Toyota, central Japan. The Japanese government has started a “flying car” project, bringing together more than a dozen companies, including All Nippon Airways, electronics company NEC, Toyota-backed startup Cartivator and Uber, the ride-hailing service. Toyota and its group companies have also invested 42.5 million yen ($375,000) in a Japanese startup, Cartivator, that is working on a flying car. (AP Photo/Koji Ueda, File)"

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6210205/Worlds-flying-cars-set-market-pre-sales-month.html

The first of the two-seat hybrid-electric vehicles, which can switch between driving and flying modes in less than a minute, will be delivered to customers next year.

According to manufacturer Terrafugia, which belongs to the parent company of Volvo, the Transition can fly up to 400 miles (640km) at top speeds of 100mph (160kmh).

The price has not yet been determined but preliminary sales for the first of the pioneering models will begin in October, according to China's news agency Xinhua.

Recent improvements to the vehicle have included a hybrid-electric motor, upgraded seats, more luggage storage, improved seat belts and airbags, the company said.

The vehicle has also been fitted with rear-view cameras and a new parachute system, as well as 'boost' mode, which gives 'a brief burst of extra power while flying'.

It was certified as a Light Sport Aircraft by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2016.

The vehicle also meets National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration standards but consumers will need a pilot's license to operate the Transition.

The company believes Transition could be a useful vehicle for pilots to land at small airports and drive straight home.

The aircraft has fold-out wings, weighing roughly 1,300 pounds, and has fixed landing gear. It can fly to a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet.

Apparently the Terrafugia Transition is finally nearing production.

 

[Zoo Tycoon]

Has anyone got film of the Terrafugia actually flying? Even better transitioning?

All I can find is CGI

Has anyone any details on the FAA cert?

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://tech.slashdot.org/story/18/10/07/194242/boeing-ceo-first-operational-self-flying-cars-are-less-than-5-years-out
https://www.geekwire.com/2018/1st-operational-self-flying-cars-less-5-years-says-boeing-ceo/

 

[RAP]

...

 

[hesham]

Nice find RAP,

and he also designed Jackson J-10 in 1956.

http://www.aerofiles.com/_j.html

 

[riggerrob]

This wing-fold method has been proved on several home built airplanes that were trailered home at the end of the flying day.
Dyke Delta wings fold 180 degrees to overlap on top of the fuselage. Dyke’s construction methods (Fiberglas, fabric, sheet metal and welded steel tubing) were too complex for most amateurs.

Verhees Deltas merely fold wings 90 degrees up. With kits for the two-seater Verhees Delta 2 hitting the market in 2019, we can expect to see many trailerable deltas at small airports.

Over on the www.homebuiltairplanes.com forum, we have been debating various folding methods on several threads entitled “ISO 20 container” or “Volksplane-21.” Both discussions revolve around Light Sport Airplanes that can be stored in ubiquitous ISO 20 shipping containers, but quickly unfold and take off within 20 minutes.

 

[riggerrob]

Neat pivoting mechanism for the top wing!

A few other “just flying machines” (Lacey M-10, Backyard Flyer and US military CV-22 Osprey).

Lacey M-10 was a light, two-seater (same size and mission as ubiquitous Piper Cub) that pivoted it’s wing to lay lengthwise on top of the fuselage. The Lacey fuselage was suspended from four large bolts. Remove 3 bolts to swing the wing, then screw them back in to secure the wing. Aileron control routings were simplified by hanging the control stick from the underside of the wing.
The Backyard Flyer also depends upon four large bolts. BYF is available pre-welded and ready to fly.

The only production pivot-wing is the US military CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor. Osprey has a complex folding method so that US Marines can store their Ospreys in hangar decks below flight d coz of US Navy aircraft carriers.
During development engineers flip-flopped between a ‘rotisary’ or ‘lazy susan’ pivot mechanism. Does anyone have photos or drawings of CV-22 wing pivot mechanisms?

 

[Grey Havoc]

From back in August: Public-Private Conference for Future Air Mobility to be Established (Joint METI/MLIT press release)

 

[Grey Havoc]

Could this be the future taxi? Drone-car model takes flight at convention (AP, via The Japan News)

EDIT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC-9M76M6wY

 

[TomcatViP]

I have scarcely being given the chance to see something as stupid as this. Think at the trapeze weight. Think at the suspension involved beefing weight the structure. Think at the size and power needed for the engines to safely carry this thing. Yes, you smart guys continue to throw away money by the (web-connected) windows and we in the real world will be (not so) happily green travel in Bluetooth connected litter before the end of the century. Still thinking at buying Li for your next investment? Go for rice and slaves, I tell you...

 

[Orionblamblam]

Bleah. That concept gives me cancer.

 

[Grey Havoc]

ORIGINAL CAPTION: Talk of flying cars will be growing at the Consumer Electronics Show with some designs to be on display such as this image from Cartivator backed by Toyota with the Japanese automaker looking launch a flying car in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/buzz-grows-flying-cars-ahead-major-tech-show-020607227.html​

 

[AeroFranz]

Silly question...but where is the power source in this...Cavorticator? Fornicator? Defenestrator?

 

[steelpillow]

Silly question...but where is the power source in this...Cavorticator? Fornicator? Defenestrator?

I think it has a 10 Mega-AH bum-warmer under the seat. Woe betide the pilot if it does a Dreamliner on them.

 

[hesham]

From Ailes 8/1947,

here is a flying car Project,design by Mr. Ivan Labat,who created the IL-60 light aircraft Project
in French contest of 1960.

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,965.msg311065.html#msg311065

 

[MaxLegroom]

ORIGINAL CAPTION: Talk of flying cars will be growing at the Consumer Electronics Show with some designs to be on display such as this image from Cartivator backed by Toyota with the Japanese automaker looking launch a flying car in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/buzz-grows-flying-cars-ahead-major-tech-show-020607227.html​

Just one step closer to this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPC8qElrG-I

 

[SpudmanWP]

Nice fake hammock

 

[hesham]

From Ailes 3/1952,

here is an idea from Mr. Marcel Pages.

 

[hesham]

From Flieger Revue 2006 11

 

[hesham]

Hi,

I never heard before about Mr. Kugelgen,and his helicopter-flying car,no sign in JAWA ?.

L+K 9/1976

 

[Jemiba]

...no sign in JAWA ?.

Perhaps because JAWA was never much interested in RC models and there's no mention in
the text, that it was ever more, than just an RC model.

 

[Grey Havoc]

From last year, a news report on the Blackfly:

 

[Grey Havoc]

It's a car. It's a plane. No, it's NEC's personal quadcopter

Is it a car? Is it a plane?

www.japantimes.co.jp

Japan's NEC shows 'flying car' hovering steadily for minute

Japanese electronics maker NEC Corp. has shown a "flying car," a large drone-like machine with four propellers that hovered steadily for about a minute.

www.apnews.com

NEC demonstrates wobbly multicopter flying car prototype

Japanese electronics giant NEC has been working with a company called Cartivator to design, build and test VTOL air taxi concepts. Now the two companies have demonstrated a multi-seat manned multicopter, a step toward a flying car future Japan believes will arrive around 2030.

newatlas.com

Japan hopes to lead in flying car technology | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

TOKYO >> It was caged and only hovered for about a minute, but was airborne: a new flying car.

www.staradvertiser.com

Behind the somewhat underwhelming, drama-free demonstration lies a bigger ambition: Japan’s government wants the country to become a leader in flying cars after missing out on advancements in technology such as electric cars and ride- hailing services.

The country’s technological road map calls for shipping goods by flying cars by around 2023 and letting people ride in flying cars in cities by the 2030s.

“Japan is a densely populated country, and that means flying cars could greatly alleviate the burden on road traffic,” said Kouji Okada, a leader of the project at NEC.

“We are positioning ourselves as an enabler for air mobility, providing location data and building communications infrastructure for flying cars.”

For the past few years, Japan has seen the emergence of a small, passionate flying car community that believes Japan has the engineering expertise and right environment to foster a global flying car industry. Venture capitalists in the country set up a specialized fund, known as the Drone Fund, devoted to investing in autonomous aircraft in general and flying car businesses in particular.

Although the demo is among the first by a major Japanese corporation, NEC isn’t planning to mass-produce the flying car, according to Okada. Instead, project partner Cartivator will start mass producing the transportation machine in 2026, according to the startup’s co-founder, Tomohiro Fukuzawa.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Will Elon Musk's Cybertruck Arrive Before the Flying Car?

Building the future is hard. And nowhere was that more evident than at Tesla’s grand unveiling of the Cybertruck in Los Angeles last night. But if anyone can do it, Elon Musk can, right? Right?

paleofuture.gizmodo.com

 

[hesham]

Other ideas without practical sense:
The Aviauto, designed by de la Fourniere. The car is a removable gondola
of a twin engined light aircraft. Even in the magazine, where I've found
this drawing, the question was raised, if using a conventional light transport
like the Miles Aerovan wouldn't be a more practical solution ... :

(from Der Flieger 1951)

Also from L'Air 1945.

 

[hesham]

From L'Air 1948,

here is unknown flying car,and its shape maybe in Aerofiles site,can anyone ID it ?.

 

[Richard N]

 

[hesham]

From L+K 2/1994,

here is a roadable aircraft designed by Mr. Stefan Klein.

Aeromobil Roadable Aircraft Coming 2014

If you’re one of the many wondering “where’s my flying car”, a Slovakian company might just have the answer you’re looking for. It’s called the Aeromobil roadable aircraft, and it’s the brainchild of transportation designer and flight aficionado Stefan Klein. Klein has been working on launching...

www.formtrends.com

 

[hesham]

Other ideas without practical sense:
The Aviauto, designed by de la Fourniere. The car is a removable gondola
of a twin engined light aircraft. Even in the magazine, where I've found
this drawing, the question was raised, if using a conventional light transport
like the Miles Aerovan wouldn't be a more practical solution ... :

(from Der Flieger 1951)

here is the Fourniere Aviauto flying car model.

From Aviation Francaise 1945.

 

[Grey Havoc]

With regards as to the Trautmann Roadair:

https://www.reddit.com/r/WeirdWings/comments/fitqpm

 

[hesham]

the Austaircar was twin boom roadable aircraft project of 1949,it was
powered by two 215 hp Franklin engines,driving a pusher propeller.

http://www.flightglobal.com/PDFArchive/View/1949/1949%20-%201983.html

The designer was called W. J. Watkins.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Brown & Dureau sponsored the design study. Interesting.

 

[uk 75]

The flying cars proposed are really just helicopters. Enthusiasts for using them in cities might want to read this

In 1977, Five Were Killed In Helicopter Accident Atop Midtown's Pan Am Building

The 1977 helicopter accident atop the Pan Am building came after years of controversy about the New York Airways service flying over Manhattan.

gothamist.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

Air Force Official Sees Use of Flying Cars By 2023 - Slashdot

"Now is the perfect time to make Jetson's cars real," says the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics. Breaking Defense reports: 'Flying cars' using electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) technology could be in full-up production for Air Force use i...

tech.slashdot.org

Hmmmm.

 

[Charlesferdinand]

Apparently the PAL-V is commercially available. Frankly, if I had the means, I would like to have one.

 

[royabulgaf]

Wake me up when we actually see it transform, instead of doing it hidden behind a building. Puttering along a taxiway is not flying. You'll get a better return on your money giving it to some Nigerian prince.

 

[Charlesferdinand]

If you mean the PAL-V, this is the test of their prototype.

I don't think there is anything inherently unfeasible about the concept. We have had things like this before. It is just that, at half a million euro plus taxes, the market seems to be pretty limited.

 

[hesham]

Hi,

here is a group of flying cars,from Perl,Dewey,Nye & Poisson,Halsmer,Trautman (No.6 & 7),Schertz,AviAuto,Curtiss-Wright,Dobbins,Ford Levacar,Holland,Jeep-O-Plane,Taylor and APAX.

https://pdhonline.com/courses/m567/m567slideshow.pdf

 

[hesham]

And,