Is it a flying car? Or a drivable airplane?

"Skywise" wrote in message
...
See http://www.livescience.com/technolog...lying_car.html
for images.

An Idea That Just Might Fly
By Gregory Mone


Why do these guys always think they can build an Airplane/Car for less than
what an airplane costs?

Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
"Skywise" wrote in message
...
See http://www.livescience.com/technolog...lying_car.html
for images.

An Idea That Just Might Fly
By Gregory Mone


Why do these guys always think they can build an Airplane/Car for less than
what an airplane costs?



I've been in touch with the Terrafugia team, and basically the answer is
that it will cost more than an airplane of similar category/capability.
Since the plan is to have the craft fit the sportpilot category (2
seats, 1320lb gross weight) which usually cost somewhere around $100k,
there is roughly a $50k difference in price to account for the extra
complexity. Time will tell if the cost can be contained to this level.

Since it's a low performance aircraft, I think they have a shot at
keeping it under $200k. That's a lot for a light sport aircraft, but on
the other hand, it's an aircraft with unique capability that changes the
value proposition. If they can get through the certification process, I
believe the market will respond. Interestingly, certification is likely
to be a tougher challenge for the drive mode of the vehicle than the
flight mode, since flight mode is covered under sport pilot and the team
consists of a bunch of MIT aeronautical engineers!

I'm rooting for them. They are taking risks and pushing the envelope.
Why are we not all rooting for them? GA would be healthier if we would
embrace change and applaud the innovators!

-Aviv

On Mon, 24 Jul 2006 22:27:42 -0400, Aviv Hod
wrote in
::

They are taking risks and pushing the envelope.
Why are we not all rooting for them?

You can count me among the supporters of aeronautical innovation.

"Aviv Hod" wrote in message
news
Gig 601XL Builder wrote:
"Skywise" wrote in message
...
See http://www.livescience.com/technolog...lying_car.html
for images.

An Idea That Just Might Fly
By Gregory Mone


Why do these guys always think they can build an Airplane/Car for less
than what an airplane costs?

I've been in touch with the Terrafugia team, and basically the answer is
that it will cost more than an airplane of similar category/capability.
Since the plan is to have the craft fit the sportpilot category (2 seats,
1320lb gross weight) which usually cost somewhere around $100k, there is
roughly a $50k difference in price to account for the extra complexity.
Time will tell if the cost can be contained to this level.

Since it's a low performance aircraft, I think they have a shot at keeping
it under $200k. That's a lot for a light sport aircraft, but on the other
hand, it's an aircraft with unique capability that changes the value
proposition. If they can get through the certification process, I believe
the market will respond. Interestingly, certification is likely to be a
tougher challenge for the drive mode of the vehicle than the flight mode,
since flight mode is covered under sport pilot and the team consists of a
bunch of MIT aeronautical engineers!

I'm rooting for them. They are taking risks and pushing the envelope. Why
are we not all rooting for them? GA would be healthier if we would
embrace change and applaud the innovators!

-Aviv

Unless they build it out of some really exotic material there is no way in
hell they are going to build a car that is capable of flight and stay within
the 1320 GW required of the LSA rules. If they use those exotic materials it
is going to cost a LOT more than $150K and I still doubt they can do it.

I applaud innovators but this isn't innovation it is a BS that is going to
suck some money that might be used for real innovation.