HISTORY
It has always been man greatest desire, to fly with the birds, but as history has shown, first he walked, then he ran, then the lazy one developed the motor car. Finally the Wright brothers took man to the skies, as early as 1940, Henry Ford said that a combination Car and Airplane will be coming.
Over the past 60 years, many people made various attempts to realise the dream of the flying car.
But all of these early concepts lacked the ingenuity and foresight of a young California engineer, Dr Paul Moller. Dr Moller did not allow himself to be constrained by conventional thinking of the aircraft of motor vehicle, he took a methodical approach to understanding the technical challenges which would face him, he started by first developing prototypes in the early 1960’s, this quickly lead him to understand what he would require from the technologies to truly develop a practical flying car. Over the next 20 year he focused on identifying and to a large degree developing and advancing the technologies which would be required by a flying car. After many years of research and development and much wind tunnel prototyping, in the early 1990’s the model as seen here became the intended first production version of the Skycar, the M400.
About the Skycar M400
Moller International has developed the first and only feasible, personally affordable, personal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle the world has ever seen. You’ve always known it was just a matter of time before the world demanded some kind of flying machine which would replace the automobile. Of course, this machine would have to be capable of VTOL, be easy to maintain, cost effective and reliable. Well, we at Moller International believe we have come up with the solution. That solution is the volantor named M400 Skycar.
Let’s compare the M400 Skycar with what’s available now, the automobile. Take the most technologically advanced automobile, the Ferrari, Porsche, Maserati, Lamborgini, or the more affordable Acura, Accord, or the like. It seems like all of the manufacturers of these cars are touting the new and greatly improved “aerodynamics” of their cars. Those in the aerospace industry have been dealing with aerodynamics from the start. In the auto industry they boast of aerodynamics, performance tuned wide track suspensions, electronic ignition and fuel injection systems, computer controllers, and the list goes on. What good does all this “advanced engineering” do for you when the speed limit is around 60 MPH and you are stuck on crowded freeways anyway?
Can any automobile give you this scenario? From your garage to your destination, the M400 Skycar can cruise comfortably at 350+ MPH and achieve up to 28 miles per gallon. No traffic, no red lights, no speeding tickets. Just quiet direct transportation from point A to point B in a fraction of the time. Three dimensional mobility in place of two dimensional immobility. No matter how you look at it the automobile is only an interim step on our evolutionary path to independence from gravity. That’s all it will ever be.
Moller International’s M400 Skycar volantor is the next step.
Moller International has developed the first and only feasible, personally affordable, personal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle the world has ever seen.
You’ve always known it was just a matter of time before the world demanded some kind of flying machine which would replace the automobile. Of course, this machine would have to be capable of VTOL, be easy to maintain, cost effective and reliable. Well, we at Moller International believe we have come up with the solution. That solution is the volantor named M400 Skycar.
Let’s compare the M400 Skycar with what’s available now, the automobile. Take the most technologically advanced automobile, the Ferrari, Porsche, Maserati, Lamborgini, or the more affordable Acura, Accord, or the like. It seems like all of the manufacturers of these cars are touting the new and greatly improved “aerodynamics” of their cars. Those in the aerospace industry have been dealing with aerodynamics from the start. In the auto industry they boast of aerodynamics, performance tuned wide track suspensions, electronic ignition and fuel injection systems, computer controllers, and the list goes on. What good does all this “advanced engineering” do for you when the speed limit is around 60 MPH and you are stuck on crowded freeways anyway?
Can any automobile give you this scenario? From your garage to your destination, the M400 Skycar can cruise comfortably at 350+ MPH and achieve up to 28 miles per gallon. No traffic, no red lights, no speeding tickets. Just quiet direct transportation from point A to point B in a fraction of the time. Three dimensional mobility in place of two dimensional immobility.
No matter how you look at it the automobile is only an interim step on our evolutionary path to independence from gravity. That’s all it will ever be.
Moller International’s M400 Skycar volantor is the next step.
SPECIFICATIONS
Passengers: 4
Top speed 20,000 ft: 380 mph
Cruise speed 29,000 ft (80% Max Range): 300 mph
Cruise speed 29,000 ft (Max Range): 210 mph
Cruise speed Sea Level (Max Range): 140 mph
Maximum rate of climb: 5500 fpm
Maximum range: 900 miles
Net payload: 750 lbs
Fuel consumption: 28 mpg
Operational ceiling: 29,000 ft
Gross weight: 2400 lbs
Installed engine power: 645 hp
Power boost (emergency): 70%
Dimensions (LxWxH): 19.5′ x 8.5′ x 7.5′
Takeoff and landing area: 35 ft dia
Noise level at 500 ft: 65 dba (Goal)
Vertical takeoff and landing: yes
Uses automotive gas: yes
Emergency parachutes: yes
COMMENT:
Hi again!! This time I have done a review for FSPLANET.com about the Skycar M400. This file from AC Kerkhove has very good movement. The yoke in the virtual panel moves and there is also movement in the throttle. Then, in the outside views you can find movement in the turbines, in the 3D pilot head if you move the pedals and in the wheels. The main panel has very good gauges with very good detailed lights. In this package you have four diferent textures to enjoy. Firstly the lepard textures, secondly, the police car textures thirdly, the classic textures ( red ) and the fourth texture is a turist texture. I prefer the police texture, but maybe you prefer another texture, it’s your choice!!
The plane’s maniobrability it’s easy. After all an excellent plane with excellent textures.
My rating is 9/10
