ground travel

Does anybody have a good way to get around on the ground to explore? Once I get to an airport, I have to walk because a bike doesn't fit in a 150 or 172! (Rollerskates are Okay but a little weird in a restaurant) I love flying to the islands of lake erie but I want some better ground travel. Ideas?

On Mar 24, 6:29*pm, twisbar
wrote:
Does anybody have a good way to get around on the ground to explore?
Once I get to an airport, I have to walk because a bike doesn't fit in a
150 or 172! *(Rollerskates are Okay but a little weird in a restaurant)
I love flying to the islands of lake erie but I want some better ground
travel. *Ideas?

twisbar

If you have the money and they are being produced & sold yet, you
should use a Terrafugia Transition.
Surely the most enjoyaable way of getting around after arriving at the
airport!
Check it out here on You Tube. Don't even have to get out of the
cockpit to start "getting around,
which is cool if it's raining.

Rapture Flight

On 5/20/2013 4:42 PM, Ricky wrote:
If you have the money and they are being produced & sold yet, you
should use a Terrafugia Transition.
Initial deliveries were promised in 2011, yet Wiki tells us:"In January
2013 development continued and the company announced that it might be
necessary to construct a third, completely new prototype, due to the
large number of modifications required. The modifications to date have
improved the previous handling characteristics and also improved
aesthetics."

So keep your nearly $300,000 in the bank for a bit longer!

Anything can happen, and to be fair it looks far closer to reality than
the Moller Skycar. But if history is any guide, this will turn out to
be at best a limited production rich man's toy. At worst, it will
languish on for decades as an attractive sinkhole for investor's treasure.

In article ,
Vaughn wrote:
On 5/20/2013 4:42 PM, Ricky wrote:
If you have the money and they are being produced & sold yet, you
should use a Terrafugia Transition.
Initial deliveries were promised in 2011, yet Wiki tells us:"In January
2013 development continued and the company announced that it might be
necessary to construct a third, completely new prototype, due to the
large number of modifications required. The modifications to date have
improved the previous handling characteristics and also improved
aesthetics."

So keep your nearly $300,000 in the bank for a bit longer!

Anything can happen, and to be fair it looks far closer to reality than
the Moller Skycar. But if history is any guide, this will turn out to
be at best a limited production rich man's toy. At worst, it will
languish on for decades as an attractive sinkhole for investor's treasure.

Terrafugia recently did a PR blitz for a tiltrotor flying car,
that is quite Mollerish in design. The Transition is closer to
reality, but putting out a Moller-like concept to drum up more
investors isn't a good sign.

John
--
John Clear - http://www.clear-prop.org/

On 5/21/2013 10:51 AM, John Clear wrote:
Terrafugia recently did a PR blitz for a tiltrotor flying car,
that is quite Mollerish in design. The Transition is closer to
reality, but putting out a Moller-like concept to drum up more
investors isn't a good sign.

I agree. That PR blitz for such an unlikely flying vehicle concept
makes me less confident in the company, not more. At this point they
should be concentrating on bringing their first design to fruition, not
branching out in strange directions.

In article ,
Vaughn wrote:

On 5/21/2013 10:51 AM, John Clear wrote:
Terrafugia recently did a PR blitz for a tiltrotor flying car,
that is quite Mollerish in design. The Transition is closer to
reality, but putting out a Moller-like concept to drum up more
investors isn't a good sign.

I agree. That PR blitz for such an unlikely flying vehicle concept
makes me less confident in the company, not more. At this point they
should be concentrating on bringing their first design to fruition, not
branching out in strange directions.

One historical fact: Nobody has ever designed and built either a flying
car or a roadable airplane that wasn't both a poorly-performing airplane
and a crappy automobile. I don't see Terrafugia deviating from this
history.

On May 21, 4:43*pm, Vaughn wrote:
On 5/21/2013 10:51 AM, John Clear wrote:

Terrafugia recently did a PR blitz for a tiltrotor flying car,
that is quite Mollerish in design. *The Transition is closer to
reality, but putting out a Moller-like concept to drum up more
investors isn't a good sign.

I agree. *That PR blitz for such an unlikely flying vehicle concept
makes me less confident in the company, not more. *At this point they
should be concentrating on bringing their first design to fruition, not
branching out in strange directions.

The vehicle is preposterous. They could only be concentrating on
attracting more $.
-----

- gpsman

On Tue, 21 May 2013 10:03:30 -0400, Vaughn wrote:

to be fair it looks far closer to reality than the Moller Skycar.

The Terrafugia Transition has actually been flown by a pilot (without a
tether). Here's a link: http://www.terrafugia.com/aircraft/image-gallery.

I don't believe you can say that about Moller's effort, despite its having
many more years in development.

On 24/05/13 08:29, Larry Dighera wrote:
On Tue, 21 May 2013 10:03:30 -0400, Vaughn wrote:

to be fair it looks far closer to reality than the Moller Skycar.

The Terrafugia Transition has actually been flown by a pilot (without a
tether). Here's a link: http://www.terrafugia.com/aircraft/image-gallery.

I don't believe you can say that about Moller's effort, despite its having
many more years in development.

Like the 'solar powered aircraft' just another toy

On Fri, 24 May 2013 08:37:29 +1200, george152 wrote:

the 'solar powered aircraft' just another toy


Hmmm... Are you referring to this one
http://www.flyingmag.com/news/two-place-electric-cessna-172-skyhawk?

Two-Place Electric Cessna 172 Skyhawk
By Mark Phelps / Published: Nov 18, 2010

Flying Magazine | The World’s Most Widely Read Aviation Magazine
Enlarge Photo

You could say the bad news is that Bye Energy's plan for an electric Cessna
172 will have only two seats and an endurance of two hours. But the good
news for flight schools might far outweigh those drawbacks. For one, the
energy costs to fly the airplane are expected to be less than $10 per hour.
Time between overhauls on the electric motor are expected to be as much as
25,000 hours, decimating maintenance bills. Power comes from a bank of
lithium ion batteries, solar panels and innovative windmill technology that
reclaims energy from the wingtip vortices. The electric motor (rated at the
equivalent of 180 hp) weighs just 42 pounds, and there is obviously no fuel
load to consider, but those weight savings are offset by the battery pack.
The nose will be more tapered, and a six-blade composite prop will provide
more efficient thrust (since its role as an engine-cooling fan is off the
agenda). Weight and balance are said to be unchanged from that of a
conventional Skyhawk. The combination of electric motor and new prop also
promise much quieter operation in the training environment. Bye Energy
President George Bye hopes to have a proof of concept aircraft flying (with
a more conventional two-blade propeller) sometime next year.

Perhaps, but this one is a toy I'd love to own:
http://electraflyer.com/electraflyer-uls.php
Introducing the ElectraFlyer-ULS!
21 hours flight time as of Feb1 2013

Technical Details
Motor: 20HP direct drive
Cruise Speed: 40MPH
Flight Duration: 2 hours with full battery packs
Battery Packs: Battery packs 1x4.0kwh standard, 2x4.0kwh option
Weight: Empty weight
Maximum Take-off Weight (MTOW)
All carbon fiber construction
245 lbs
525 lbs
Best L/D: 20:1
Min sink rate: 236 ft/min
Price: $59K US ready to fly

And then, there's this one: http://www.solarimpulse.com/en/. I wouldn't
characterize it so much as a toy, given that it has successfully flown half way
across the North American continent; more a proof of concept:

Flight Phoenix KPHX - Dallas KDFW

Pilot: André Borschberg, Co-Founder and CEO
Take off time: May 22nd 04:47AM MST (UTC-7)
Landing time: May 23rd 01:08AM CDT (UTC-5)
Flight duration: 18h21min
Average ground speed: 84 km/h ( 45,3 kt)
Highest altitude reached: 27 000 ft
Flight Distance: 1541 km (~832 NM)

To mention any of these in the same breath as Moller is just a little
misleading....