EAA design contest?

[dougbush]

Okay, well, how about a contest to design the most effective high-lift devices. In other words, design an aircraft with a small, efficient wing in the cruise configuration and a low stall speed in the dirty configuration. Not sure what the metric should be.

[dougbush]

There's little practical application for such a vehicle that isn't already well filled by a helicopter or fixed wind aircraft. and the idea of putting it into practical use in the hands of your average citizen for daily commuting is fraught with problems in the arenas of human factors, operations, weather, economics (looking at you Terrafuggia and your quarter million dollar price tag), safety and other things....

How can you say there's little practical application for a roadable aircraft?! It would be so much more convenient to
--always have ground transportation available at any airport,
--be able to depart from a different airport than where I last landed,
--not have to move my stuff from car to plane to rental car back to plane back to my car,
--not waste time reserving, picking up and returning rental cars or waiting for taxis, and
--be able to buy fuel anywhere.

These are the issues that make general aviation impractical for many people. They find it more practical to just drive than to drive the OTHER way to the airport, then make their passengers wait while they pull out the plane, pre-flight, add a quart of oil, load up all the stuff, warm up the engine, fly to the big city airport with the high fees and fuel prices (because it's the only one with reliable ground transportation), taxi miles to the GA ramp, wait for the rental car or taxi, move the luggage, then drive a long way (because the nearest airport to the destination doesn't have ground transportation). Same crap on the return. Helicopters don't solve the problem, either, because you can't just land your helicopter in the parking lot at your destination. Did you know that if you return a rental car after noon on Saturday at Creve Coeur Airport in St. Louis, you have to pay as if you kept it till Monday, because the Enterprise office is closed?

Terrafugia's price target is the result of their design choices, such as four wheels, highway speeds and car-like handling on the road, automobile safety equipment, and within (extended) LSA weight limits. Had they loosened up those constraints, they could have designed a much more economical vehicle.

I didn't suggest putting it in the hands of average citizens, but all the certificated pilots I know can drive on the road just fine. How is a roadable aircraft more "fraught with problems in the areas of human factors, operations, weather, economics..., safety and other things" than helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft?

[martymayes]

Show me a flying car that is more than a one-off novelty or the means by which a con artist (Moller) gets people with more money than sense to line his pockets.

okay.