Elon Musk says building a flying car wouldn't be difficult

[captaincranky]

It's not a bandwagon. If you don't believe something can be done then you're welcome to that opinion but whether it be 20 years or 2000, eventually you'll be eating your words when someone smarter and more capable than you makes it happen.

I believe it was around the late 1700's (I could be wrong there) that scientists were in general agreement that technology had reached its peak, and that we couldn't really progress much farther from then on. We had simply invented everything we could possibly invent. Well that turned out to be a crock of ****.

I'm not a "Muskie", or a bandwagon follower of some guy who says flying cars are a walk in the park. What I am a bandwagon follower of is ideas and progress and not being so cynical and ignorant to believe that just because something seems to be difficult on numerous levels (like so many other things that are now commonplace were purported to be), doesn't mean that listening to someone and believing in them can't help get it done.

Really, go watch "The Jetsons". From what I can read, you have no vision of your own, just the idea that someone else might be able to do something eventually.

So, Elon Musk says, "building a flying car wouldn't be that difficult", and you say, "yeah, what he said". So, in my book, that is jumping on the bandwagon.

As I said in my last post, the people that know the least about aerodynamics and aviation protocol, are making the most noise about flying cars being possible.

...not successfully! Just sucking up everyone's money that invests.

FWIW, guest is way more on target than you.

 

[Ranger1st]

...there you go , misdirect and add in your own subtext, to make your insipid and dullardly comments reek of something other then bile they are.

So, are you saying you're jealous of me for coming up with the "hot air" routine first. You are, after all, repeating the same thing.

"Aping", actually, which is an ugly trait as well.

 

[captaincranky]

...there you go , misdirect and add in your own subtext, to make your insipid and dullardly comments reek of something other then bile they are.

Oooo, reek, bile, insipid, you sound really self important, dictatorial,and condescending. Is this "post adolescent intellectual pretense in action"? "Acute testosterone overdose", maybe?

And I don't think, "dullardly", is actually a word. At least Firefox doesn't believe it is.

It's really duplicitous to repeat what I said, virtually word for word, then start spraying a bunch of personal crap at me afterward. Wouldn't ya say?

And so we're on topic, are you one of the aeronautically challenged numbskulls that think Mr. Musk is doing anything but enjoying the sound of his own voice while talking about "flying cars".

Better quick "tweet" what Musk said, and how you, "told me off". Maybe some 13 year old girl will swoon over it.

Do you actually know anything about aircraft, aviation, aviation regulations, pilot qualifications, or is it that you just don't like me?

Tesla First Quarter Report Shows Net Loss Due to Big Investments
Model X Production Begins Next Spring, Gigafactory Locations Still Unknown

Quite frankly, Tesla seems to be doing well. But, something that rolls on land is a far cry from something that flies through the sky. Mr. Musk, is overreaching. This self publicity campaign, is a money grab, not much more than that. "I'll take the investments, and worry about how to build the 'flying car', later", said Elon to himself

 

[Ranger1st]

For someone so quick to hit FF for a word suffix your pretty hypocritical slamming tweets..

Well lets see, a few years in the Military doing frame tech work on C130's and CF18s, few years fabricating 4-6 seater bush plane/STOL aircraft from the ground up privately and even a few years fabricating race cars from the ground up. The odd few years spent at university collecting a BSc.

But otherwise NO experience with aircraft... oh maybe a 30-35 hrs of flying a Citabria.. but other then that.. none.

and I don't like you.. no one does.

Oooo, reek, bile, insipid, you sound really self important, dictatorial,and condescending. Is this "post adolescent intellectual pretense in action"? "Acute testosterone overdose", maybe?

And I don't think, "dullardly", is actually a word. At least Firefox doesn't believe it is.

It's really duplicitous to repeat what I said, virtually word for word, then start spraying a bunch of personal crap at me afterward. Wouldn't ya say?

And so we're on topic, are you one of the aeronautically challenged numbskulls that think Mr. Musk is doing anything but enjoying the sound of his own voice while talking about "flying cars".

Better quick "tweet" what Musk said, and how you, "told me off". Maybe some 13 year old girl will swoon over it.

Do you actually know anything about aircraft, aviation, aviation regulations, pilot qualifications, or is it that you just don't like me?

 

[captaincranky]

For someone so quick to hit FF for a word suffix your pretty hypocritical slamming tweets..

No, I leave the spell checker on, that's all. And "dullardly" blows up a big red line. BTW, I think you meant, "you're", and not "your". FF let's me know when I spell something incorrectly, and that's when I fix it.

Well lets see, a few years in the Military doing frame tech work on C130's and CF18s, few years fabricating 4-6 seater bush plane/STOL aircraft from the ground up privately and even a few years fabricating race cars from the ground up. The odd few years spent at university collecting a BSc.

Then you should be aware how hypothetical a sufficient power source is ATM, to overcome gravity for any protracted period of time. In fact, the British launch their "Harriers" from takeoff ramps, and the aircraft's VTOL capability is only used mission specific, since it uses so much fuel. And now you expect that the FAA would permit a "flying car", to go into full production and grant air worthiness. I expect it might get as far as, "experimental". Face it, this generation thinks a self driving car is a good idea. God bless you, and may God have mercy on your soul, if you think today's limited attention span imbeciles should be allowed to pilot flying cars while they run their yaps about nothing in particular on their iPhones. Talk about "angry birds".

Besides, you should also know that driving range is an issue with Tesla, and every other purely electric car available. It seems to me, at the very least, you'd have to develop an electrical power source to provide range at least equivalent to that available with internal combustion engines, before you should ever think about an aircraft.

and I don't like you.. no one does.

No one, really? I guess that means you're presumptuous enough to think you're the site spokesperson. No matter, it just makes our little chats ever so much more rewarding. People have been not liking me here for close to nine years. So see, even that's not an original thought on your part.

BTW, I gave you a like for not liking me. Wear it in good health,(or not).

 

[DelJo63]

See these

 

[captaincranky]

See these

Well, all those pictures appeared as though any of those, "vehicles", required a "runway" to become airborne. So, I guess that means they wouldn't be practical for anyone living in your basic, "townhouse", "efficiency apartment", or any such dwelling that doesn't have at least a dozen acres of ground attached.

So, I'm going to classify ALL those pictures, as "aircraft with quadra-cycle landing gear".

Now, Mr. Musk's craft, (I still firmly believe), is going to VTOL on a column of his own hot air, from just about any old outhouse.

In other news, some financial news pages seem to think that "Tesla" is "more profitable", because it turned in "less of a loss", last quarter. (Q4 2013) (Which sent his stock prices up, go figure).

Elon Musk shows up on searches more often as an "entrepreneur", rather than an "inventor". So, it's a fair guess that it wouldn't be too hard to build a flying car, since all he has to do is convince other people to lend him their money, and delegate the design and construction to other more talented people than himself, who have the misfortune of being in awe of his prodigious bulls***. OTOH, I suppose it doesn't really matter if an endeavor is a failure, as long as the people working on it get paid while it lasts.

There was another famous "inventor"/ "entrepreneur"/ "showman"/"futurist", during the 20th century, whose name escapes me (*). It was a similar paradigm though. Some things he managed to pull off, many others got laughed down, and never came to fruition.

"History ignored is destined to repeat itself", or something like that.

(*) And it's bugging the poop out of me.

Before I forgot, and to whom it may concern, "Happy Fathers Day".

 

[DelJo63]

My only point - - the subject is OLD news, VTOL or otherwise. IMO. seeing the driving skills of so many here in Southern Calif, - - YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING :grin:

 

[captaincranky]

My only point - - the subject is OLD news, VTOL or otherwise. IMO. seeing the driving skills of so many here in Southern Calif, - - YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING :grin:

Well, I suppose we could look to Google for our redemption. After all, they're going to give us the self driving car, can a self piloting flying car be that far behind? :sarcasm:

BTW, I touched on all of your points earlier, and in greater detail. I of course, agree with you. The only thing I was able to determine is that I was wrong, by virtue of the fact that nobody likes me.

(Have I ever told you how desperately I miss the, "" emoticon? Because my last statement(s) just beg(s) for about a half dozen of them).

 

[DelJo63]

I touched on all of your points earlier, and in greater detail.

all the personal flame wars get so distracting, I opted to comment and move on, ie I just skipped to the end :sigh:

 

[GeforcerFX]

Please spare us the lecture.

At some point in a meteoric success such as Mr. Musk's, you start believing your own BS. I think the clinical term would be, "megalomania".

And "I don't think it would be hard to build a flying", dumps a whole lot of almost insurmountable obstacles on the shoulders of those who are tasked with the job of actually building it, instead of just "imagining it".

After all, it's already been imagined time and again. I guess you don't remember, "The Jetson's. That was a cartoon series with a flying car in every driveway

As far as most of Mr. Musk's rants go, he's just a swollen talking head, with a massive ego.

The flying car has already been invented, they called it the "Piper Cub". The low stall speed was they selling point, about 35mph if I recall correctly.

As far as, "360" possible directions of travel go, I think you're 360 degrees short of a full sphere, since "pitch", (up and down with respect to the horizon), adds another full circle to the possibilities. So really, you have 360 times 360 possible directions of travel. Note I said, "possible", not "practical".

A brake pedal won't work in any airplane, in the same way one won't work in a boat. The simplest strategy would be to navigate by flying low over existing highways. Which would result in an unimaginable number of rear end collisions. What happens when the airspace over the freeway gets too crowded? Would you have a massive anarchistic exodus in all directions? Sounds like an opportunity for a massive chain reaction mid air collision, the likes of which has never been seen on the same type of crash on land.

I can't see the point of someone trying to huckster electric cars, "to save energy", running their yap about "flying cars". The energy required to overcome gravity is considerable, especially in hovering.

Sometime have a look at a pilot training manual, you'll find it's not in the same class of comic book as any drivers' manual.

As far as the rest of you "Muskies" go, did you actually know anything about aircraft control, aerodynamics, the protocols,and legal issues of piloting aircraft, before you posted a bunch of crap, trumpeting about how we should all be on the Musk flying car bandwagon.

Oh wait, now we're going to need flying bandwagons as well. Let's go ask Mr. Musk for one. I'll bet he cl;aims a flying bandwagon wouldn't be that hard to build either.





.

I have gone over many aircraft manuals, I'm currently working on my pilots license, just saving up the cash to finish my airtime.

 

[captaincranky]

I have gone over many aircraft manuals, I'm currently working on my pilots license, just saving up the cash to finish my airtime.

Better save a few million to throw Elon Musk's way. That way you'll be certain of being somewhere on the waiting list, for a peek at a mock up of a potential model, of a pre-test build, of a proposed flying car. Happy landings....