Why no flying cars?

Question

Cars have stayed pretty much the same for the past 50 years, although they now look a little rounder.

Answer 1

Good question. There are two main reasons. One is that the technology is pretty much based off an infrastructure (oil, gas, and roads) that makes it pretty easy to build a slightly better car and make profits. So the "need" hasn't been high enough to make it worth while for large investors to create flying cars.

However, people have tried (and succeeded) in making some flying cars (tow behind and assemble, or the infamous Moller Skycar which is a vertical take-off).

The problem with either is infrastructure. Both vehicles require that you either haul a trailer of plane parts, or with Moller, it's requiring the FAA to try and create a new flight infrastructure to support it.

However, my neighbor happens to be this guy:

www.labicheaerospace.com

This car/plane appears to be very practical. It still requires one to earn their pilots license (so it's not like anybody can just hop in and fly), but I have flown the full simulator without flight training and managed to take off and land without any problems.

He has a forum if you'd like to ask questions. Very cool stuff.

Answer 2

Small airplanes are very sensitive to weight and balance. A little extra weight in your garden variety cessna can make the difference between scooting along among the clouds, and a plane that's struggling to get off the ground. Altitude and temperature also makes a difference. Airports at higher altitudes need longer runways to get plane aloft because the thinner air makes it harder for a plane to get the needed lift to get off the ground. A hot humid day means thinner air, and can make airports at 3000' elevation seem like those at 5000' feet.

Also, a few pounds located at the very rear of the plane can make it be out of balance and affect the controls. Designers work very hard to keep the center of balance within a narrow range on the plane to make it fly safely.

Cars, on the other hand, can go pretty much anywhere there's a solid surface. If you have 300 lbs of luggage to move - no problem, just shove it in the trunk. Even a small car like a Ford Escort can haul 1000 lbs of people, gas, and belongings without a serious problem.

Add to that the fact that we have massive industries that are dedicated to building, repairing, fueling, storing, selling, and even cleaning cars - but not airplanes. Cars are easier to learn to drive than planes are to fly; cars are cheaper than planes, too. The deck is stacked heavily in favor of the automobile.

Answer 3

this theory was thouroughly researched in the 1940s thru the 1970s the technology is available and is relitvely reliant, the problem is that there is a huge difference between driving a car and piloting an airplane. only a very few people can operate a plane properly and safely,consistantly, testing over the years proved that most landings were fatallities, no one has yet to come up with a better answer.

Answer 4

i think our technology isnt advanced enough for car makers to build the flying cars we see on tv but there is a flying car that converts to airplane by driving it to an airport or field and spread out the wings and take off like an airplane and the Terrarium TF-X that can lift off the ground using hovering blades this car doesn t need airport runways or grasslands to take off but that car will be on the market in 8 to 12 years in the future

Answer 5

Hmm, Popular Science or Popular Mechanics just recently did an article on this. . . maybe they both did, actually. Anyway, it's not that people are not trying. It's just that it's a ridiculously difficult field that is not generating much interest. I would say that based on the skill of the average driver this is definitely NOT a good idea for mass consumption anyway.

Answer 6

can you imagine 2 million flying cars flying around, crash in the air, no chance of living, there have been attempts at flying cars anyway, they are too expensive and uneconomical

Answer 7

No Flying Cars?

http://www.moller.com/

http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/AC/aircraft/Aerocar/info/info_old.htm

Answer 8

i compleatly agree. it is the end of 2006 and in the jetsons it was only 2001 and they had flying cars and moving floors and all kindsa nifty sh!t. why dont we have any of that. the most technological thing of 2001 was the first generation ipod and windows 2000

Answer 9

I live in La La Land and can well imagine what it would be with a million illegals and Chinamen in the air! Not to mention all the women drivers, cell phone talker, big Mac eaters and nose pickers zipping though the sky above me. Scary, very scary.

Answer 10

People can't even drive cars that don't fly!!