>>>>>>http://www.theguardian.com/technology/video/2014/oct/29/flying-car-prototype-unveiled-vienna-technology-show-video
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Ground clearance looks a bit slim.
>>>>>>Also a pity that with a claimed top ground speed of 124mph its air cruise speed appeared to be about 50mph.
>>>>>>But I guess the wheels will at least get it to V2 quite quickly :-}
>>>>>
>>>>>Pretty sure the wheels are completely disengaged when in flight mode. Only the propeller accelerates it for takeoff.
>>>>
>>>>I wonder if that's true. There's only one power unit - why not use the wheels to shorten the take-off run ?
>>>>But you're probably right - might be difficult, or even dangerous, to supply power to both drive trains as the same time..
>>>>
>>>>Here's their spec: http://www.aeromobil.com/specification.
>>>>
>>>>>There was a light-plane chase plane taking some of that video, and visible in some parts going at the same speed as the prototype. Even if it's a Piper Cub cruise is about 120kph, if it's a Cessna 180 etc. could be up to 200.
>>>>
>>>>But the stall speed is less than 40 knots. And in the clip it's being visibly overtaken by a car in the background. Seems like the specs (max. ground 100mph, max air 124mph) differ from what is quoted in the article anyway.
>>>>
>>>>Interesting that it has variable attack wings (but still a very high Vr at 90mph). Must admit the cockpit looks pretty professional though.
>>>
>>>Yes, we can debate the specs but AFAIK it's the most advanced fixed (although folding) wing car/aircraft hybrid. I haven't seen video of a test flight that's not barely out of ground effect, though.
>>>
>>>Over the years there have been some buggy/parasail hybrids e.g. http://fly-skyrunner.com/ . Those actually have some appeal for off-road/remote use. You could fly over otherwise impassable terrain e.g. swamps, rocks/crags etc.
>>
>>Yeah, I'd seen that - severely limited by wind conditions though.
>>Don't get me wrong - I'd love to see a viable production model. But the quote on their web site says it all:
>>
>>"Mark my word: A combination airplaneand motorcar is coming. You may smile, but it will come" Henry Ford, 1940.
>>
>>He's been wrong for 75 years.
>
>Some would argue we're currently in a golden era of sorts for light aviation. On the one hand there are significant advances in materials science as seen in craft such as Solar Impulse: http://www.solarimpulse.com/
>
>On the other hand computerized real-time systems for aviation are increasingly well-understood and becoming more affordable for light aviation. Check out http://gizmodo.com/5888117/breakthrough-quadcopter-does-previously-impossible-acrobatics - bear in mind that video is nearly 3 years old. It may not be too long before we see autopilots for craft such as Aeromobil that are better than any human pilot in almost all conditions.
>
>Even 30 years ago there were military aircraft that were inherently unstable and required computerized control to be able to fly at all: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_X-29
>
>From a technical POV, unless you're talking about doing something provably impossible, it's a bad idea to bet against smart people in general, and smart engineers in particular ;)
>
>There may also be some military trickle-down e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_Reconfigurable_Embedded_System
>
>As I see it the fly in the ointment is legal. Legal restrictions or regulations can hurt in at least 2 ways:
>
>- Impose unnecessarily onerous performance or safety technical requirements e.g. must have STOL capability, must have Ballistic Recovery System
>
>- Impose non-technical barriers e.g. driver/pilot training/licensing requirements, restrictions on where and when they may be flown. Even if you have an excellent technical solution, no-one will buy it if the powers-that-be won't let you fly it
>
>I believe that if the rate of technical progress exceeds the rate at which restrictive regulations are applied, then flying cars will eventually fly (as it were :))

The USAF's X-37 OTV flies automatically -- recently spent nearly 675 days in orbit then landed itself on a runway.

Back in 1988, the Buran (the Russian space shuttle) flew automatically from launch to landing.