Meet George Jetson

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So I found this linked over on slashdot. Maybe we will finally see those flying cars we were all promised by cartoons!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/15/60minutes/main688454.shtml[url][/url]

Renaissance Man
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Razorgrin's picture
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Try this.

Also, it''s about frickin'' time. My dad always used to say that by the time I got my license, we''d have flying cars.

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My parents watched that bit last night and the first thing they and I said was, ""That''s what they said twenty years ago.""

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Morro's picture
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Unless those are going to retail for under $60,000.00, this won''t be a revolution. A car made by the lowest bidder? Sure. A plane? Hells no.
Plus, and I''m just throwing this out, here... how the HELL much gas would that eat? How is this even remotely economical? As a cheap personal airplane for rich people, maybe it''s cool. But they''re pitching it as though we''re all going to be in flying cars. It ain''t going to happen. At least, not until we come up with some sort of synthetic jet fuel that can be made in mass quantities and sold for a reasonable price.

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baggachipz's picture
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I''ll take it one step simpler, Morrolan... when you''re out driving today, take a look around and realize how hard a time people have driving in TWO dimensions. Three... fugetaboutit. It would have to be literally impossible for people to veer off course. And the reilability would be tantamount, because if you stall mid-air, you die. I certainly hope Ford won''t be making any flying cars.

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LobsterMobster's picture
Location: On a picnic, going "Ho ho ho!"

But what happens if you crash your flying car in the Andies and have to consume your co-pilot?

Eat George Jetson!

Anyway, I read an article about these flying cars in Flight International. They''re cool (I particularly like the Orca-like VTOL with the ducted lift-fans), but Baggachipz has very valid points. I''m sure many of us have driven at least one car into the ground... Wouldn''t be nice to do so literally. There are questions of logistics and training to consider, too. Air traffic controllers would NEED to be aware of personal air transportation as well. And if you think that asshole that drives past traffic on the side of the road is obnoxious, just wait until people have absolutely no visible barriers except the ground a few hundred (or thousand) feet below.

Right now, if some dumbass plows his Pinto into a Greyhound bus, he''s killed and a few people on the bus are killed or injured. Just imagine what would happen if someone drove their little personal VTOL into the side of an A380. Five hundred people would die.

And if you think car bombs are scary now, at least they don''t FLY.

No, I think I''ll just wait for my jetpack just the same.

NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.

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Edwin's picture
Location: Miami, FL

Does the 2nd amendment cover SAM missle silos, stingers, flak cannons, or quad AA machine guns?

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Fletcher's picture
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"Edwin wrote:
Does the 2nd amendment cover SAM missle silos, stingers, flak cannons, or quad AA machine guns?

Only in Florida and Alabama.

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Edwin's picture
Location: Miami, FL

Sweet, I''m in the clear then.