2007-06-03 13:13:11 · 11 answers · asked by Green 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Moving things vertically off of the ground requires a lot of energy. How many people want to refill their gas tanks every 30 minutes?
Flying cars won't become mainstream until portable nuclear energy becomes a reality.
2007-06-03 13:28:32 · answer #1 · answered by a bush family member 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
All of the previous answers have touched on various points of flying cars. In reality they have been produced, though I suspect you are referring to something that does not convert from a plane to a car.
The other problem is skill. There are so many drivers on the road who don't belong behind the wheel of a car, I can't imagine those same idiots being allowed to drive. Driver's whose license has been suspended or were not able to obtain a license for instance. Can you imagine a FUI? Flying-Under-the-Influence? Someday perhaps our species will evolve so that everyone has the skills, ability, and responsibility. Or someone will design a vehicle that can't be crashed due to operator failure.
2007-06-05 14:58:47 · answer #2 · answered by Mack Man 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"They" have made a number of flying cars, starting in the 1930's. Problem is, the desireable characteristics of a car and a plane are different. The results were interesting, but they were generally lousy cars and terrible airplanes.
2007-06-03 15:29:30 · answer #3 · answered by squeezie_1999 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There was an autogyro ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogyro in the US in the 1930's that was forced to land, folded its rotor blades, and headed off on the highway. The flying car concept fails on several issues: 1. The constrained paths (highways) of cars offer safety in predictability of traffic and direction. 2. Long landing strips for multitudes of fixed wing aircraft would be limited in number, and congestion would be miserable due to mandatory landing/takeoff intervals. 3. Helicopters require masterful pilots with extensive training. 4. Maintenance costs would be astronomical.
2007-06-03 13:39:33 · answer #4 · answered by geojr1955 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They can and have. BUT, can you imagine the nightmare if anyone could buy one and fly it. Even with proper testing, present technology wouldn't support the congestion. So maybe the question should be "Why aren't they making flying cars for the mass market?"
2007-06-03 13:27:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They definitely can make flying cars. Most people just wouldn't be able to afford them, and we already have a system set up for rolling cars.
2007-06-03 13:22:18 · answer #6 · answered by bob 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure it's possible to make a flying car, however, they would be prohibitively expensive to actually make and there would be air traffic rules and regulation issues.
2007-06-03 13:22:15 · answer #7 · answered by Mike 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Someone has.
Enjoy the pictures, it was pretty cool. The car flew about 350 feet.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/upgrade/1559477.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/02/60II/main677545.shtml
2007-06-03 13:20:30 · answer #8 · answered by anonymous_20003 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well what would you call an airplane, but a cabinlike automobile that has wings
2007-06-03 13:35:03 · answer #9 · answered by pre med student 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They do but they changed their name to aeroplanes.
2007-06-03 13:52:20 · answer #10 · answered by Tony A 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋