[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Speaking of flying cars...

[Elaine]

I've been a silent recipient of emails from this group, and couldn't resist
passing the information about flying cars on to my grandson, who earned an
undergraduate degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U of Michigan,
and is now continuing his studies in a PhD program there. He spent a couple
of summers interning at a Cambridge company that designs and develops
unmanned systems and aerospace vehicles. My grandson's research there
involved designing "taxis." His research continues to cover unmanned flying
machines.

I must admit that I have always questioned his enthusiasm for such things
in terms of traffic control safety and noise level over residential areas.
He once installed microphone recording devices in my yard for 48 hours to
record a baseline of typical ambient noise levels in a suburb, even in a
yard that is in the flight path for planes landing at Hanscom, to compare
with the noise that might be added with flying vehicles.

Thought you might be interested in his response. His humble reply when I
asked if it would be okay to send it to you was, "Go for it, but take it
with a grain of salt." Seems pretty coherent to me.

"I’ve seen some flying car concepts that could actually fly (terrafugia had
a concept that actually flew briefly). With this car I wouldn’t worry about
highways in the sky since it won’t even take off, I’d worry more that it
looks like an 8 year old put together all the features that’d make the best
dream car and then they claimed they could actually make it. There is
absolutely no way they could make a car that size that carries a battery
for driving that has any reasonable range on the road on top of two jet
engines, wings (where do the wings even stow?) and then also hit transonic
flying speeds with any acceptable range."


Then again, remember Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?


elaine



On Wed, Nov 4, 2020 at 1:56 PM Steve Isenberg <smisenberg at gmail.com> wrote:

> Nice looking car/aircraft for sure.
> But there are a number of important issues to consider with the concept of
> flying cars.
> One is: the crowded skies, and the potential for damage and loss of
> innocent life due to a crash.  You might not live on a highway but with
> flying cars then everywhere is a potential highway.
> Anyone flying would have to follow FAA flight rules and need to be
> certified (flying license, medical certificate); plus additional
> certifications if flying in bad weather or for hire.
>
> The idea of seeing a traffic jam and suddenly taking off and flying over
> it, is unrealistic, given the "needs 2500 feet runway" which would be
> difficult to find in a traffic jam; plus the presence of wires and bridges
> over and nearby the roadways.
> Also to consider would be the airspeed required to support a takeoff,
> probably around 150mph.
>
> But I'm raining on your parade.
>
> It would be neat to fly yourself over traffic jams; as I'm sure some on
> this list are pilots and have done so (as have I).
> -steve
>
> On Tue, Nov 3, 2020 at 3:57 PM Robert Primak <bobprimak at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/firenze-lanciare-flying-supercar-concept-1234578963/
>>
>>
>>
>> now *that'*s a flying car!
>>
>>
>> -- Bob Primak
>>
>>
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