Yet another aircraft / car thread ;)

[Joe (SoCal)]

THE FLYING CAR THAT KILLED ITS INVENTOR
READ HERE: https://www.mentalfloss.com/.../flying-pinto-killed-its...

This date in 1947 saw the first flight of THE CONVAIR MODEL 118 CONVAIRCAR (also known as the Hall Flying Automobile), a prototype flying car of which two were built.

If you think the other flying cars all look a little too much like airplanes, join the club. Industrial Designer Henry Dreyfuss decided to design an actual flying car in 1947, and the ConvAirCar was the result. This was a re-engined development of the Model 116, designed by Theodore P. Hall.

The ConvAirCar debuted in 1947, and offered one hour of flight and a petrol mileage of 45 miles per gallon. The car itself sported a lightweight fiberglass body and could seat four. The wings and engine/propeller snapped onto the top of the car, and when not in use were towed behind the car.

Intended for mainstream consumers, two prototypes were built and flown. The first prototype was lost after a safe, but damaging, low fuel incident. Subsequently, the second prototype was rebuilt from the damaged aircraft and flown. By that time, little enthusiasm remained for the project and the program ended shortly thereafter.

F33CE046-3D13-4D71-B26C-A5E2FDA1E5B4.jpg

[Andrew2]

Nice bit of history Joe
Reality is, flying cars have been tried fairly often but don't do either very well.
This 'might' just change with the idea of 'drone' type vehicles, but then there is the problem of keepng them apart in the air. Maybe can be automated, though that is not going as well as expected with Tesla.

[Nicholas Scheuer]

These old "flying cars" always make me wonder. Having soloed many Cessnas from the 140 to the 172 and a J3 Cub I know that while all of these aircraft are built as light as possible, it doesn't take much more weight to exceed "maximum payload". The 140 I used to fly a lot would technically be "overloaded with me, the fuel, and a large but not obese instructor aboard. So here we see much of what constitutes a typical "light" single-engine aircraft, with a four-passenger sedan attached, complete with its own internal combustion engine, four wheels with hubcaps, and bumpers. Put two adults in that automobile and then tell me it's not "overloaded".

[AlanMc]

looks fun to park

[CWSmith]

That picture makes my skin crawl. All I can see is the car dropping off the bottom of the plane.

[LeeG]

The airplane part looks aerodynamic.

[Ian McColgin]

I recall the man from Gyrodyne saying it was the solution for a fast commute to Manhattan and me thinking, "Three dimensional traffic jam."

[Jim Bow]

Remember this guy?

https://youtu.be/uwIn7jLPV4E

[CWSmith]

I recall the man from Gyrodyne saying it was the solution for a fast commute to Manhattan and me thinking, "Three dimensional traffic jam."

You should be so lucky. I had 2 drivers pull out on me tonight on a 15 minute drive. I picture collisions and "flying cars" falling from the sky like raindrops (big, heavy, murderous raindrops).

[Nicholas Carey]

Nice bit of history Joe
Reality is, flying cars have been tried fairly often but don't do either very well.
This 'might' just change with the idea of 'drone' type vehicles, but then there is the problem of keepng them apart in the air. Maybe can be automated, though that is not going as well as expected with Tesla.

Most drivers had a hard time navigating safely in 2D.

Trying to conceptualize how badly they'd do in 3D, especially whilst having to deal with wind and weather.