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“With the developing airspace infrastructure in place, the Skycar will become a widely used unpiloted air-taxi. This is the only known commuter vehicle that can move large numbers of people very quickly and safely and still let them conveniently choose their departure point, departure time and destination.” He went on to say, “At no time in years of study were we able to find a single flaw of any kind in the Skycar design or any hitch in its application to commercial transportation.”
COL Harman begins his article with, “While many technological advances occur in an evolutionary manner, occasionally a revolutionary technology appears on the horizon that creates startling new conditions and profound changes. Such is the case with the privately developed Moller Skycar.” He goes on to say, “The potential military uses will be numerous. They include aerial medical evacuation, aerial reconnaissance, command and control, search and rescue, insertion of special operations forces, air assault operations, airborne operations forcible-entry operations, military police mobility and maneuver support.”
“The volantor (Skycar) will do for car-based society what the car did for horse-based society. It is the right solution at the right time.” He goes on to add, “His machine is certainly at a point where a DARPA DEM/VAL effort could move it in the “Flying HUMVEE” status desired by the Army, SOCOM and the Marines. I am not aware of another such concept with anywhere near similar capabilities.” In a separate article Dr. Bushnell said, “It is not a question of IF, but WHEN the market for personal air vehicles will be about $1 trillion a year.”
“Once we have the infrastructure then Moller’s Skycar has a place to grow into. Such a system is on the way. Various organizations including NASA, the FAA, the Department of Transportation, individual states and aviation industry groups are developing a small aircraft transportation system.”
“This is extremely significant,” says Dr. Zuk. “It’s really a breakthrough for the type and concept and it has merits from a cost standpoint that show promise to be a future personal transportation system. It’s a true first.” Dr. Zuk goes on to say, “Moller is different. He’s got academic credentials. He’s thorough.”
“The Skycar will become the MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle of Afghanistan. The ability to safely and rapidly employ soldiers on the battlefield enables us to exercise economy of force on the battlefield doing more with fewer soldiers.” He goes on to say, “Examining the MEDEVAC mission more closely will illustrate why we will save money by spending money to acquire the Skycar.”
“Will you be in the market for a volantor?” Out of 6226 responses: Yes as soon as possible 23%; Yes after the price comes down 47%; Yes after it’s proven safe 23%; No never 7%.
“Moller’s car might one day fulfill the prophecy of the world depicted in cartoons like the Jetsons in which the breadwinner commutes to work in a flying car.”
“The engine was the key Moller knew, in combining straight up flight with the speed and simplicity of a light plane.”
“Skycar ‘pilots’ will simply log on to the tracking system via on-board computers, then stick around for any arising emergency tasks such as deploying the craft’s parachutes in the event of a catastrophic power failure.”
He says Moller’s work “goes far beyond the technology we’re working on. It makes the technology we’re working on look fairly mundane.” Vostrez says Moller’s idea “is to use the third dimension in a three dimensional space as opposed to just two dimensional space that we’re tied to on the ground. It’s really exciting.”
Described Paul Moller as: “...that rare entrepreneur who can pinpoint the genesis of his idea. ”
Described Moller as: “Currently developing the most exciting transportation vehicle since the car and the airplane.”
“A remarkable invention that could someday radically change the way we get to work. Definitely a technology on the cutting edge. A personal flying machine.”
“Helicopters are VTOL’s and so are the British Harrier jets. What Moller has done is invent VTOL’s that are cheap and easy to operate.”
Says he is “excited” to see Moller combining an advance in VTOL technology with fly-by-wire control. “If and when that accomplishment takes place--and in my mind I know it will—Paul Moller will have struck gold with a technology that has real applications.”
“One immediate advantage would be safety. The (Skycar) engines have so few moving parts that they should require a fraction of the maintenance of a helicopter. One engine could fail and the Skycar could still hover to a landing. Piloting the Skycar should require less skill than driving a car.”
“His Skycar is a computer controlled, eight engine vehicle designed to travel on roads, take-off and land vertically, carry four people through the air at 350 miles per hour and sell, once mass production begins, for not much more money than an automobile.”
“Paul Moller is unique in this world of complex high technology. He is an independent entrepreneur who still makes his own test flights. It is the people with imagination and the ability to see past the end of their nose that are going to be the ones flying instead of sitting down here in grid-lock on the freeway.”
A program devoted to describing and rating the ten most significant machines ever built. The Skycar was rated number 6.
“Wary as any test pilot taking up an experimental craft, the man in the fireproof blue suit kissed his wife before climbing into the cockpit. One by one he started the eight rotary engines, then pushed a small red throttle with his left-hand and a joystick with his right. With that, engines whining, the flying saucer rose 40 feet into the air. He took his volantor on a 150 second spin in Davis.”
“Mark my word: A combination airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile. But it will come…”