• Question: will we ever have flying cars?

    Asked by 08bowmanl to Charlie, Eoin, Jemma, Julian, Steve on 21 Mar 2011.
    • Photo: Eoin Lettice

      Eoin Lettice answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      Hi,
      I guess flying cars are just planes aren’t they?
      People have tried to combine a car and plane before and it wasn’t very successful. Planes are designed to do something specific and so are cars. I don’t think its a good idea to combine the two!

      Eoin

    • Photo: Julian Rayner

      Julian Rayner answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      I don’t know, but I sure as heck hope so. How cool would that be? Although the traffic lights and road signs to keep the cars apart would have to be pretty complex to work. Sure feels like someone should have invented flying cars by now, doesn’t it?

    • Photo: Stephen Moss

      Stephen Moss answered on 18 Mar 2011:

      Hi 08bowmani
      In a way we already do. A plane is just a car with wings. It has an engine, a driver, wheels, windscreen wipers, passengers, runs on fuel. But if you’re thinking of something like a regular car then who knows?

    • Photo: Charlie Ryan

      Charlie Ryan answered on 19 Mar 2011:

      Hi 08bowmanl! Strange name!
      I don’t know really! possibly, there have been many attempts but none really successfully! Although in many cases it wasn’t because they didn’t work, more that the design was slightly daft! One problem is that some are simply planes that then fold their wings away when they want to drive on the road. But this means you’re carrying huge wings as the car travels along the motorway!
      Other have gone for a helicopter style to produce lift, but this isn’t really safe on the roads!
      Basically it should bbe possible but currently no one has produced something practical. Everyone would also have to have two licenses!! And getting your pilot license isn’t the easiest and cheapest thing!
      I think there is no need for a flying car, so people aren’t really trying to make a truly practical version. If there was a market for it, then the large car manufacturers would probably immediately try to make one!

    • Photo: Jemma Ransom

      Jemma Ransom answered on 21 Mar 2011:

      I certainly hope so, and yes I think there will. They could be powered by Charlie’s miniaturised rockets!

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