Flying Cars, Past, Present, & Future

Wednesday, February 20th, 2019

As a young child in the early 1960s I grew up hanging out in the garage with my father, at the marina with my grandfather, and at small local airports.  My interest in flying cars started about that time.  Around 1963 I was given a book called “The Golden Stamp Book of Automobiles of Today and Yesterday”.  I still have this book and the price tag on it was 42 cents.  The last car featured in the book was called the “Ford Dream Car”.  It was an atomic powered car that could fly.  It was around this time that the United States was in the space race with Russia.  In school, classes were stopped to watch our rockets being launched.  As a young child seeing the Ford Dream Car and watching rockets being launched into space, I became very excited about flying cars.  I would see sports cars of the 1960s like the Corvette Stingray and tell my dad that car could be made into a flying car.  I would often draw cars with wings on them.  The book I received in the 1960s has developed into a very large collection of flying car related memorabilia, models, books, videos, and other miscellaneous items.

Fast forward to the 1980s and I have my pilot’s license.  And my interest in flying cars was still there.  It was when I started using small aircraft to travel that I realized how practical a flying car would be.  After renting an airplane, I still needed to rent a car to get to my final destination.

Flying cars are just about as old as airplanes.  Glenn Curtiss is credited with having the first flying car.  It was 1917 When Glenn Curtiss showed the world his “Autoplane” at the Pan-American Aeronautical Exposition in New York City.  This was only 14 years after the Wright Bros first flew and just nine years after the Model T was introduced.

Over the 100 plus years of powered flight, there have been numerous attempts to build a flying car.  In the 1930s Waldo Waterman designed and built a 3 wheel flying car called the Aerobile.  The wings were detachable for ground operations.  Powered by a water cooled, six cylinder, Franklin (Tucker) engine, in the air, it was capable of speeds as high as 110 miles per hour.  A prototype flew in 1937, a total of six were made.  As with many of Waldo Waterman’s designs, this was tailless.

After the birth of powered flight and once the average person could get a pilot’s license, we soon discovered that general aviation aircraft only got you close to your destination.  Once you landed, you still needed ground transportation.  Flying cars/roadable aircraft were born practically out of necessity.   This is very true with Robert Fulton and his Airphibian.  During WWII Robert traveled a lot by small aircraft only to wait at the airport for his ground transportation.  He thought if only my small airplane could drive me to town.  And in 1946 Robert Fulton designed the Airphibian.  It could convert from plane to car in about 5 minutes with no tools.  It has been reported that the Airphibian was as easy to drive as it was to fly.  It could fly at speeds up to 110 MPH and 55 MPH on the ground.  The drawback to Fulton’s design was that you had to detach the wings and leave them at the airport.

Molt Taylor and his Aerocar made an appearance around 1950. Molt Taylor met Robert Fulton and saw his Airphibian.  Molt had a better idea.  Why not make the wings fold back and form a trailer?  This way if you had to land because of bad weather, you could continue on to your destination with the wings in tow.  Once the weather improved, reconnect the wings and you’re back in the air.  Two models of the Aerocar were build.

Fast forward to the 21^st century we find the Switchblade, a 3 wheel flying motorcycle.   Still in the development stage, the plans are to offer the Switchblade as a kit.  The Switchblade is built of carbon fiber and other new light weight materials.  The company hopes to have a prototype flying by the end of 2019.

There is a flying car that you can purchase now.  The PAL-V built by the Dutch company PAL-V International BV.  Their vehicle is an autogyro or gyrocopter that is capable of being driving on public roads.  The last check of their website shows a price of $399,000 USD for their basic model.

These are just a few of the attempts to build and market a successful flying car or roadable aircraft.  Over the past 100 plus years there have been numerous attempts, some never making it past the drawing stage.

But as the 21^st century begins, there are many visionary companies that see a world filled with cars that fly. Some are nearly ready for production, some will be all electric, some will be based on motorcycle frames.  The industry is in a technological revolution, much like cars at the dawn of the last century.

Kraemer Aviation / Flymall Wheels & Wings February 2019 Newsletter

Wednesday, February 20th, 2019

It has been 50 years since the Beatles’s roof top concert.  Visit our Events Calendar for more dates in Beatle history.  Just select the “Beatles” category.  You can have the calendar email you a reminder about an event, or you can download the event to your calendar.

The Flymall team attended The Family Room birthday party earlier this month and Pat got to meet the mayor of Laytonsville.

Click here for more pictures from the event.

In an effort to better serve the needs of our aviators selling airport homes or airport property, Harry has teamed up with Sarah McNelis of Long & Foster Real Estate.  This partnership will allow us to better serve our clients from coast to coast when it comes to selling their unique airport homes.  Visit the Real Estate section of the Flymall for more information.

Achievements & Special Recognition:

Here’s a great story about a formerly homeless young lady in Oklahoma City who was able to rise out of a bad situation to become an automative mechanic, aviation technician, and now a civilian employee (working on jet aircraft) at Tinker Air Force Base, and also an instructor at MetroTech teaching others. Very inspirational story!  Porsha Lippincott is a fine example of a person that turned around a bad situation and made her life better!

February 20, 1962: John H. Glenn becomes the first American astronaut to orbit the earth.  If you enjoy aviation history, we have a new fact each day at the bottom of our webpages.  For some days there are more than one, just refresh the page to see if a new fact appears.  We also have the current aviation news headlines on our main page.

Aviation/Aviators in the news:  Want to see the world’s oldest aircraft fly?  Add a visit to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome to your bucket list for this summer.  They have a 1909 Bleriot XI that flies regularly throughout the airshow season June to October each year in Rhinebeck New York. Click here for pictures from when the Flymall team visited the Aerodrome years ago.

Where is my flying car???  It’s in The Netherlands!  A bit pricey, but you can purchase a roadworthy, airworthy flying car.  The PAL-V Flying Car.

Visit Harry’s Flying Car page on the Flymall for more information on Flying Cars.

Here is an interesting watercraft we found.  Its called Flynano.  Its half jet-ski, half airplane.  The company claims that you do not need a pilot’s license to fly it.  Not sure about that part.  Click here for their site.

A Facebook find.  Here is a story about a solar powered aircraft that will fly to the edge of space and back.

Harry’s friend Brenda who started Bravo Flight Training at the Frederick Airport has expanded to KGAI.  If you are looking for an award winning flight school in Montgomery County Maryland, Bravo is the place to go.

Looking for a used aircraft?  Visit our used aircraft section of the Flymall.  We have new inventory coming in weekly.  

In addition to aviators in the news, this month we have a runway in the news.  Here’s a runway where is opposite end is NOT 180 degrees away.

Pat, Linda, and Veronika visited iFLY, indoor skydiving. 

Click here for more pictures from iFly.

Car/Motorcycle Show News:  Have you ever seen a Ford electric scooter?  Here’s the Ojo Electric Scooter.  This would be great to scoot around at car shows this season.  Imagine the territory you could cover.  These are built in California by Ojo Electric under a license agreement with Ford.  A win win situation for both companies.  Ojo, a little unknown company gets to put the familiar Ford logo on it’s new line of electric scooters.  Now-a-days everyone is all about cleaner and greener.  The Ojo is just that and it even has the Ford name on it.

The “Speeding Ticket” is 123 years old. In 1896 driver Walter Arnold received Britain’s first speeding ticket. He had been caught in a Motor Carriage very similar to what we have pictured here. He was going four times the speed limit – at 8mph. He was chased and pulled over by a policeman on a bicycle.

Here are some interesting predictions regarding cars of the future.  This was published in a book in the early 1960s.  Next to the prediction we have stated about when this was available.

By the 1970s we’ll have:

Gas turbine engines in cars – Chrysler had one by 1963. However, Pontiac had built one in 1953.  Although not intended for production, it was called the Firebird I.

All around hydraulic bumpers – We had these around 1973.

Polarized headlamps and polarized glass to prevent glare.

Batteries that will last a lifetime. Not yet!

Radar activated brakes that will automatically slow down the car – Cadillac had such a system in the late 1950s, however the first modern system was out as early as 1995.

Highways will have built in electro-magnetic strips to control cars – In 2013 a city South Korea activated a section of highway that could charge an electric vehicle while it was driving.  Check out the Google results on the topic of roads that can charge electric cars.  Here are the Google results for magnetic roads to control cars.

The book went on to predict flying cars and self driving cars, both of which we now have.

If you want to know where the Flymall team will be next, visit our appearance schedule by clicking here. 

Harry’s Laytonsville Cruise In turns 10 years old this year.  If you’re looking for a place to go on Friday nights, the Laytonsville Cruise In is the place to go.

Barn Finds/Hangar Finds:  Need an appraisal on your barn find or hangar find?  Visit our appraisal page for information on our appraisals. Click here to see some of the rare warbirds that we have appraised.

Here is a story about a triple Bugatti (yes, 3 of them) barn find.  Click here for the story on BarnFinds.com.

Need help restoring your barn find or hangar find?  Visit the Tech Tip section of the Flymall for resources to help you while you’re restoring your barn find.

CFI / DPE Notes:  Pilots and flight instructors can visit Harry’s lesson plan page on the Flymall. 

Stay tuned for a new section on the Flymall.  Coming soon, Practical Test.  This page will have information for pilots preparing for checkrides.  

Weather in the news:  We have had a lot of winter storms this season. January 29 2019 snow.  Click here for some pictures from this snow storm.

The next day, January 30 2019 we had a snow squall come through that produced strong winds and heavy snow.

And on February 20 2019 we have another storm in the northeast with a rainbow of colors on the radar.

Three Wheel Association (TWA):  Here is an interesting 3 wheeler, its called the Ampere.  Its got 1960s Corvette styling.  Their website said that it will be available this year (2019).

TWA had a few of their vintage 3 wheelers out for some exercise earlier this month.

For other vehicles in the TWA collection click here. 

 Here is an interesting story about a French three wheeler that was entered in the inaugural Peking to Paris race and ended up in the Gobi Desert west of Beijing, abandoned for more than a century. Click here for the full story.

Prototypes:  The Flymall team attended the District Harley Davidson Open House for the roll-out of the all new all electric Harley Davidson.  Just a few short years ago this was just a concept with a prototype.

Click here for pictures from the event.

Animals in the headlines:

Here is a fox feeding orphan bear cubs.

We close this newsletter with these words from Sir Paul McCartney:
And, in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.

PAVE Checklist

Saturday, February 9th, 2019

The applicant will apply the PAVE checklist to the scenario.

The applicant will apply the PAVE checklist to the scenario.

Another way to mitigate risk is to perceive hazards. By incorporating the PAVE checklist into preflight planning, the pilot divides the risks of flight into four categories: Pilot-in-command (PIC), Aircraft, enVironment, and External pressures (PAVE) which form part of a pilot’s decision-making process.

P = Pilot in Command (PIC)

The pilot is one of the risk factors in a flight. The pilot must ask, “Am I ready for this trip?” in terms of experience, recency, currency, physical, and emotional condition. The IMSAFE checklist provides the answers.

A = Aircraft

What limitations will the aircraft impose upon the trip? Ask the following questions:

1. Is this the right aircraft for the flight?
2. Am I familiar with and current in this aircraft? Aircraft performance figures and the AFM are based on a brand new aircraft flown by a professional test pilot. Keep that in mind while assessing personal and aircraft performance.
3. Is this aircraft equipped for the flight? Instruments? Lights? Navigation and communication equipment adequate?
4. Can this aircraft use the runways available for the trip with an adequate margin of safety under the conditions to be flown?
5. Can this aircraft carry the planned load?
6. Can this aircraft operate at the altitudes needed for the trip?
7. Does this aircraft have sufficient fuel capacity, with reserves, for trip legs planned?
8. Does the fuel quantity delivered match the fuel quantity ordered?

V = EnVironment

Weather

Weather is a major environmental consideration. Earlier it was suggested pilots set their own personal minimums, especially when it comes to weather. As pilots evaluate the weather for a particular flight, they should consider the following:

• What is the current ceiling and visibility? In mountainous terrain, consider having higher minimums for ceiling and visibility, particularly if the terrain is unfamiliar.

• Consider the possibility that the weather may be different than forecast. Have alternative plans and be ready and willing to divert, should an unexpected change occur.

• Consider the winds at the airports being used and the strength of the crosswind component.

• If flying in mountainous terrain, consider whether there are strong winds aloft. Strong winds in mountainous terrain can cause severe turbulence and downdrafts and be very hazardous for aircraft even when there is no other significant weather.

• Are there any thunderstorms present or forecast?

• If there are clouds, is there any icing, current or forecast? What is the temperature/dew point spread and the current temperature at altitude? Can descent be made safely all along the route?

• If icing conditions are encountered, is the pilot experienced at operating the aircraft’s deicing or anti-icing equipment? Is this equipment in good condition and functional? For what icing conditions is the aircraft rated, if any?

Terrain

Evaluation of terrain is another important component of analyzing the flight environment.

• To avoid terrain and obstacles, especially at night or in low visibility, determine safe altitudes in advance by using the altitudes shown on VFR and IFR charts during preflight planning.

• Use maximum elevation figures (MEFs) and other easily obtainable data to minimize chances of an inflight collision with terrain or obstacles.

Airport

• What lights are available at the destination and alternate airports? VASI/PAPI or ILS glideslope guidance? Is the terminal airport equipped with them? Are they working? Will the pilot need to use the radio to activate the airport lights?

• Check the Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) for closed runways or airports. Look for runway or beacon lights out, nearby towers, etc.

• Choose the flight route wisely. An engine failure gives the nearby airports supreme importance.

• Are there shorter or obstructed fields at the destination and/or alternate airports?

Airspace

• If the trip is over remote areas, is there appropriate clothing, water, and survival gear onboard in the event of a forced landing?

• If the trip includes flying over water or unpopulated areas with the chance of losing visual reference to the horizon, the pilot must be prepared to fly IFR.

• Check the airspace and any temporary flight restriction (TFRs) along the route of flight.

Nighttime

Night flying requires special consideration.

• If the trip includes flying at night over water or unpopulated areas with the chance of losing visual reference to the horizon, the pilot must be prepared to fly IFR.

• Will the flight conditions allow a safe emergency landing at night?

• Perform preflight check of all aircraft lights, interior and exterior, for a night flight. Carry at least two flashlights—one for exterior preflight and a smaller one that can be dimmed and kept nearby.

E = External Pressures

External pressures are influences external to the flight that create a sense of pressure to complete a flight—often at the expense of safety. Factors that can be external pressures include the following:

• Someone waiting at the airport for the flight’s arrival

• A passenger the pilot does not want to disappoint

• The desire to demonstrate pilot qualifications

• The desire to impress someone (Probably the two most dangerous words in aviation are “Watch this!”)

• The desire to satisfy a specific personal goal (“get-home-itis,” “get-there-itis,” and “let’s-go-itis”)

• The pilot’s general goal-completion orientation

Emotional pressure associated with acknowledging that skill and experience levels may be lower than a pilot would like them to be. Pride can be a powerful external factor!