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Finally - flying cars!

Most (90%) of the population can't drive worth a shit. We sure as hell don't need these same people airborne.

The good news is that these won't be commonplace. Gotta have a pilot's license to fly in the US ;)
 
With the speed at which technology is progressing, we'll all be living like the Jetsons in no time!
 
Flying cars would be one of the most dangerous pieces of technology to come down the pike in years. I hope there's underground housing, or personal home force fields, available if this ever comes to pass.
 
Eh, flying is easy.

Flying where you want to go and getting back on the ground, those're the hard parts.
 
I've been reading/hearing about this stupid thing since Jr. High, probably late grade school.

Call me when I can go to the dealer and buy one.
 
Lindley said:
Eh, flying is easy.

Flying where you want to go and getting back on the ground, those're the hard parts.
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Quite.

As is "stepping out on your front lawn and not getting your ass pounded into the ground by a flying chunk of metal", "not having your car's computer control system hacked", "not running out of fuel and dropping out of the sky like a stone", and of course "not being mentioned by Avery Brooks in IBM commercials". :p
 
This thing really doesn't look all that dangerous, actually. Seems to just be a parachute angled so that it can go up when the fan is turned on. A secondary parachute is available for emergencies.

The top speed of only 70mph airborne is a significant limitation, though. That's landing velocity for a trainer plane, and from the sky you really seem to be crawling along at that speed.

I am curious what provisions it has for navigation. Motorboat style?
 
The day after the flying car hits the market:

AP - THE WORLD was shocked yesterday when the world's first flying car became commercially available to an awaiting public, science-fiction movies for decades and most notably in the hit 80s Back to the Future movies people have longed to take to the skies in airborne automobiles.

That dream came to a startling reality yesterday with a presentation of its dangers and pitfalls. Maureen Walker, 85, Tampa, had the new Moller Skycar Deluxe purchased by her grandson for her birthday and she took to the skies that afternoon and met with tragedy. "I swear, that skyscraper just jumped right out in front of me!" the distraught and confused Walker said as she was being helped into an ambulance following the incident.

Walker's skycar plunged into the 50-story office building at 12:30PM yesterday afternoon as she made her way to a hair appointment, early reports from investigators suggested that Walker had confused the car's air-brakes with its altitude adjuster and accidentally drove the car into the high-rise where it crashed into a local law-firm. Fortunately, the office's inhabitants were out for lunch at the time but the office sustained an estimated $40,000 in damages. No charges will be filed by the police department against Maureen but the law-firm and building manager declined to comment on an civil prosecution of the fixed-income widow.
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Presumably FAA regulations would apply. License, checkride, the whole nine yards. A special limited license might be eventually arranged for one of these, but you wouldn't get just anyone flying them.
 
the only thing that comes to mind is "Operation This Can Only End Very Very Badly is now a go".
 
Stylish. I'd prefer something with a bit more speed to it though. Only half the fun of flying is actually being up there---the other half is going to see people who would otherwise be too far away for a day visit.
 
Lindley said:
Stylish. I'd prefer something with a bit more speed to it though. Only half the fun of flying is actually being up there---the other half is going to see people who would otherwise be too far away for a day visit.
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But this is sports class rating. Guess you could keep saving for that Bonanza. I think they start around 600K.
 
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