There have been many ideas for a flying car, some better than others.

The parafoil inflated wing can be used on powered aircraft. The wing is just like a big inflated kite or a modern sport parachute.

With this type of wing the airspeed is constant, more power does not make the aircraft go faster it just goes higher, less power allows it do descend. No power turns it into a controllable parachute.

Steering is controlled by pulling control lines that pull the tips of the wings down causing decreased lift and increased drag and hence induces a turn.

A small car could be fitted with such a wing and a ducted fan propellor.

Should be fairly cheap to make, not too hard to learn to fly and moderately safe.

Note, this is not a 007 toy where you can take off from any road by pulling a lever. Take off would require the wing to be spread out on the ground and inflated by propellor blast, then apply more power and up and away!
-- akubra, May 09 2004

Area vs weight http://www.paraski....om/chutes/index.htm
[Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004]

How I'm imagining it http://www.geocitie...symail/HB/mini.html
[Worldgineer, May 24 2005]

Motorcycle:Flying http://www.ulflying.../oct.web/flite.html
Now nearly baked. [Worldgineer, Sep 30 2005]

Military Version http://www.defenset...rchives/002652.html
[Worldgineer, Aug 08 2006]

Sure why not. You can test it.
-- Eugene, May 10 2004


Yay.
-- Lacus Trasumenus, May 10 2004


I'd like to hear from those who voted against this. It seems feasible enough to me.
-- Worldgineer, May 10 2004


Enclose and enlarge the cockpit (for comfort), and you're there.
-- Worldgineer, May 10 2004


So, let's say the whole thing weighs 1,400 pounds, how big of a parachute would you need? Anybody have any clue?
-- zigness, May 10 2004


From the examples on the linked website, it looks like there's a nearly linear relationship between parachute area and weight capacity:
area weight
400 700
500 800
600 900
656 1000
Using a linear trendline, we get the equation:
area = 0.8814 x weight - 210.17 (with R^2 = 0.9848)

Assuming you're carrying 400 lb of passenger, the parachute area will be about 1376 sqft.

I don't know if or how this will effect speed.
-- Worldgineer, May 11 2004


even the MiniCooper is more than 1400, though, isn't it?
-- theircompetitor, May 11 2004


2524 pounds. Adding 600 pounds of passenger fuel and luggage, that's a 2540 sqft parachute.

See link for how I'd design this (ok, larger parachute than shown). I'd control the lines with the steering mechinism, and design the prop to fit in the trunk and be easily attached when needed. It should be possible to sell a moderately priced aftermarket kit that isn't too difficult to install.
-- Worldgineer, May 24 2005


It seems like we think of the flying car backwards. We start with a car and try to make it into a plane. It would be more simple and realistic to take a plane and adapt it to road use. flight could be the major mode of transportation, and driving could be the second mode, for short range and tight spaced travel. Why do we make cars so heavey anyway!
-- fity, May 25 2005


Because they don't have to fly.
-- Worldgineer, May 25 2005


heh.
-- bristolz, May 25 2005


(link)
-- Worldgineer, Aug 08 2006



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