Skycar, returns, but will it fly?
24 April 2009 – 3:31 pmAn accidental dinner with some explorers a few weeks back, lead to a fun invitation from Kim, an expedition organiser and PR.
The setting, Charlie Boorman’s garage in West London. Yes, the one where they always start from, as I have been asked a few times now.
Being a lover of innovation, I had not actually heard of the Skycar until conducting some online research earlier in the week. Prepping before the launch.
The Skycar concept is truly great and has been the talk of the week amongst those the project has been mentioned to.
The Skycar does just that, leaving the earth’s surface (!) it can hit a flight speed of around 80 mph, and has a range in excess of 100 km.
In minutes it is a plane, then a car, then a plane… the Yamaha engine driving the wheels, or, a rear fixed rotor blade/propeller. The driver/flyer decides if it is going to be an earth or skybound trip and flicks the lever accordingly.
This is not Bond fantasy. The Skycar works.
A team just took the 500 kilo prototype from the UK, over the Channel, through France, over the Pyrenees, down through Spain to the Straits of Gibraltar and on to Timbuktu. Amazing.
A documentary is coming out covering the adventure, so we are presuming they made it! They certainly made it back, as I saw them.
Such a great and simple (well maybe not to execute) idea now seems so obvious, and practical. Think expeditions, rescue, farming, and traffic jams, or, lack of with the Skycar!
Keenly priced at around £ 45 – 50 000. It seems a much more interesting play thing than a one dimensional earth bound Supercar.
Anyone fancy a Skycar?
