Submitted by: Brenda Williams

There was for a time about half a century ago when science fiction writers and artists had envisioned the 21st century as a fantastical future. Certainly a far cry from our current woes in politics and the economy, people 50 years ago thought of the year 2000 the as this wondrous place where all this great technology existed and our world seemed to be a utopian wonderland with moving sidewalks and flying cars.

At the turn of this century our society should have been well ensconced with automobiles that fly like the one pictured on the left. Popular science fiction of the 50s and 60s described a typical car that someone would own or rent that had no visible means of flight but could simply lift off the ground. On the other end of the spectrum there was the notion of some fantastical looking vehicle was more like a spaceship on wheels.

Whatever version of the flying vehicle most are familiar with, it become clear that by the early 90s, the reality of what was once predicted was no closer than a device that could teleport you form one place to the next. Comments like, Where are the flying cars, moon colonies, floating cities moving, sidewalks jetpacks? became the mantra of comedians and anyone from the post WWII generation that grew up reading science fiction.

A Flying Car Is it Practical?

Even if we had flying cars in 2008 would they be practical?

Considering the instability of gas prices one would have to assume that fuel for a personal airborne vehicle would have to be at least double the price of regular unleaded gas.

Regulation of the airways, speed limits and flying routes would seem to be a logistical nightmare. Imagine needing to have the level of sophistication that air traffic controllers use except for the millions of cars that currently exist.

Car dealers, auto transport companies and rental car companies would have to develop new systems and structures for sales, shipping costs and rental rates. Think about the new routine for picking up a rental car at the airport.

Would every legal aged driver have to get pilot licenses?

Is all Hope Lost for the Personal Air Vehicle?

Yes and no. Believe it or not there are companies out there trying to make this one time fantasy a reality. One such company, Terrafugia, has a working design called The Transition. This vehicle, with retractable wings is designed to carry two people on one tank of premium unleaded gas and will be geared for 100 500 mile jumps. As far as other details like how to drive it, how high off the ground it will actually fly and cargo room, the company has solutions for that as well. So technically with a 1/5 scale model and computer simulations, their flying car is possible. Whether or not they ll actually make their debut in our time? That question will be answered around the time you order your first jetpack online.

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