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Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

aeromobil.com

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Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#11

Post by JoeAltmaier »

mikeash wrote: post #7

I just don't get the appeal of roadable aircraft like this. Every single one I've seen is neither a particularly good airplane nor a particularly good car, and they're expensive . For the price of one, you can generally buy a better car, a better airplane, and a second better car to keep at your most frequent destination airport, and have enough money left over to rent cars at other destinations for years. I can't fi…

I guess if you travelled around a lot, rarely visiting the same location. E.g. a rambling vacation, or a traveling salesman.

Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#12

Post by JoeAltmaier »

JDDunn9 wrote: post #10

Just another toy for the wealthy. I'm still looking for something like the Moller Skycar with auto-pilot. Getting a pilot's license is too hard/expensive/takes too long for it go mainstream. It would also be nice if it used something stronger than a propeller (not sure if jet engines work on small aircraft). If it's going to replace plane trips, it needs to go a lot faster than 60mph.

60MPH was the minimum airspeed. The max was 124. Takeoff was 90.

Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#13

Post by axxl »

mikeash wrote: post #7

I just don't get the appeal of roadable aircraft like this. Every single one I've seen is neither a particularly good airplane nor a particularly good car, and they're expensive . For the price of one, you can generally buy a better car, a better airplane, and a second better car to keep at your most frequent destination airport, and have enough money left over to rent cars at other destinations for years. I can't fi…

That's a little bit like saying 10 years ago that no one needs a smartphone, it's a crappy phone and a crappy computer, it's too big and heavy and expensive and you can't get data anywhere and it sucks to type on. Just buy a phone for moving around and a computer for getting work done.

Things change. Anything could be the Apple Newton of the next big thing :). (Although to be honest, I see transportation moving much more to a computer controlled system rather than this, but just for the sake of argument).

Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#14

Post by zxcvvcxz »

mikeash wrote: post #7

I just don't get the appeal of roadable aircraft like this. Every single one I've seen is neither a particularly good airplane nor a particularly good car, and they're expensive . For the price of one, you can generally buy a better car, a better airplane, and a second better car to keep at your most frequent destination airport, and have enough money left over to rent cars at other destinations for years. I can't fi…

Does this not seem to be the pattern of most emerging technologies? They're bulky, not so practical, and expensive as hell. Would a consumer want to buy this now? Probably not. I think the site is more for the purpose of bringing people on-board to the project (engineers, investors, etc).

That being said, I think it's a very exciting vision with practical application. If you're a business traveler, why bother with the whole airplane + taxi or rental car system if you can stay in the same vehicle? I envision a small runway where dozens of these vehicles can take off in a very short time span from each other, being on their way. Of course aerial navigation, safety and all that will be issues that need to be overcome, but I definitely see this as being feasible (here's an idea, why not have them be self-driving AND self-flying?).

Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#15

Post by johngalt »

Everyone builds a flying car, but I've always thought that motorcycles had more in common with light aircraft. Narrow body, low weight, high rpm engines etc...

If I were designing a road/air vehicle. It would be a motorcycle with detachable wings/prop.

Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#16

Post by dorkrawk »

JoeAltmaier wrote: post #11
mikeash wrote: post #7

I just don't get the appeal of roadable aircraft like this. Every single one I've seen is neither a particularly good airplane nor a particularly good car, and they're expensive . For the price of one, you can generally buy a better car, a better airplane, and a second better car to keep at your most frequent destination airport, and have enough money left over to rent cars at other destinations for years. I can't fi…

I guess if you travelled around a lot, rarely visiting the same location. E.g. a rambling vacation, or a traveling salesman.

So you think that a flying car could efficiently solve a traveling salesman's problem?

Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#17

Post by pdelbarba »

mikeash wrote: post #7

I just don't get the appeal of roadable aircraft like this. Every single one I've seen is neither a particularly good airplane nor a particularly good car, and they're expensive . For the price of one, you can generally buy a better car, a better airplane, and a second better car to keep at your most frequent destination airport, and have enough money left over to rent cars at other destinations for years. I can't fi…

Alternatively, you could just buy a small cargo plane and put your car in it. If you're super economical, you should be able to fit a folding electric bike in most cessnas.

Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#18

Post by canthonytucci »

nmcfarl wrote: post #3
SuperChihuahua wrote: post #2

It's a good attempt, but I believe the definition of a flying car is a car that doesn't need to drive to the airport?

Given current roadway infrastructure I think that would preclude any sort of "plane" other than Harrier style VTOL craft, and from what I understand those are expensive and difficult even for the military. Your other option would be a helicopter. For my personal definition this complete works. But I have no clue which of us is more representative of the public…

While technically this is a flying car, I think the Jetsons' version is the one people are really wanting.

Re: Aeromobil: Roadable aircraft

#19

Post by sunfly »

mikeash wrote: post #7

I just don't get the appeal of roadable aircraft like this. Every single one I've seen is neither a particularly good airplane nor a particularly good car, and they're expensive . For the price of one, you can generally buy a better car, a better airplane, and a second better car to keep at your most frequent destination airport, and have enough money left over to rent cars at other destinations for years. I can't fi…

Anything built dual purpose is heavily compromised (win 8). The appeal is that most airports do not have ground transportation. Not even a taxi. You are usually arranging a private party to pick you up, or hoping the one worn out police car the town leaves at the airport for public use is still there. You are correct though, unless they can get the price down, they will not sell in volume.
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