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Thread: Bad Moller Skycar LSA story in LPW -apology

  1. #1

    Bad Moller Skycar LSA story in LPW -apology

    Hello Readers of LPW. I've recently got into a bit of hot water for a news article I wrote about Moller Skycar

    http://www.eaa.org/lightplaneworld/a...202_moller.asp

    It was very poor judgement on my part for repeating a news story widely reported in the media about Moller announcing new LSA designs. I was surprised to find it reported straight-up in some media outlets without including the historical background of non-performance of the company. I foolishly thought that Moller had replaced Jim Bede as the icon of that genre and wrote it up like a straight press release thinking everyone would recognize something was amiss with his claims. I was wrong.

    Those of us who grew up in the early years of the ultralight movement saw many examples like this. Claims by designers of airplanes that couldn't actually fly. Most of those were far more convincing aircraft than the Moller's designs. We learned to look for actual direct claims of flight and for pictures with wheels off the ground. Within the last year or two LPW has reported on other new unusual designs that had not yet flown and subsequently have not been heard of again.

    However, few companies in modern times has quite the reputation matching Moller and I was negligent in my failure to include that background information. The blame for this omission goes squarely on me and I want to assure everyone that I see every word that goes out before it is published. It doesn't get changed later by other editors. All the mistakes are mine. I encourage everyone to keep reading LPW and keep checking for errors in facts, or judgement. Thanks.

    P.S. If I had included the drawing of the single seat Moller everyone would have been suspicious from the start. The two seater was just conventional enough to be believable.

    .

  2. #2

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    You can call it an early April Fools.

    The funny thing is, LSA has no provision for vertical lift.
    But for Moller this is probably just another minor detail.... if his intent with this press release is to continue to scam investors.

  3. #3
    Yes April Fool and I'm the fool. Incidentally here is that goofy single seater. Would you fly this? ASTM compliance anyone?

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  4. #4
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    Why does anyone give that nutjob the time of day?
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by steveinindy View Post
    Why does anyone give that nutjob the time of day?

    If he was just a nutjob, we might sympathise and take pity on someone who was developmentally delayed, give him a cookie and ensure he was provided with the proper medical care. But he's not. To continue to do what he's done for 55 years takes chutzpah, boldness, very big smarts and a complete absence of conscience. He's a card carrying sociopath who could sell sand to the Arabs. He clearly thinks of himself as one of the smartest guys in the room....the same room that contains the Enron guys, the Worldcom guys, the Adelphi guys, the Live Entertainment guys, Conrad Black, Bernie Madoff...I could go on and on.
    Last edited by Floatsflyer; 03-30-2012 at 09:10 PM.

  6. #6
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    Well, I was trying to be nice.....nutjob sounds better than narcissistic sociopath which was pretty much my assessment as well.
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  7. #7
    John McGinnis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Floatsflyer View Post
    If he was just a nutjob, we might sympathise and take pity on someone who was developmentally delayed, give him a cookie and ensure he was provided with the proper medical care. But he's not. To continue to do what he's done for 55 years takes chutzpah, boldness, very big smarts and a complete absence of conscience. He's a card carrying sociopath who could sell sand to the Arabs. He clearly thinks of himself as one of the smartest guys in the room....the same room that contains the Enron guys, the Worldcom guys, the Adelphi guys, the Live Entertainment guys, Conrad Black, Bernie Madoff...I could go on and on.
    Excellent characterization of a con artist who has harmed our entire industry. Thank you Dan for your comments and for posting here.

  8. #8
    John, he has developed a fabulously successful muffler design and made a fortune at that and real estate development in Davis. Sufficient to fund his never ending goal of getting this silly thing flying. What have you invented that made any big money? Who is funding your big breakthrough? How long in progress and when is it going to fly?

    The media is the crook here, as usual, and they dig it up every few years for a 'scoop' when they are bored. Maybe like they'll do with your project in a few years...... Get back to the shop and spend your time making something happen rather than ripping another designer and hanging out in forums.
    Last edited by flyingriki; 03-31-2012 at 08:49 PM.

  9. #9
    Hello Steve. I love your avatar. Really cool. All I would have had to do was add a pertinent fact or two after the jump revealing the history of the company. Not sure why I didn't do that. I couldn't have printed quite the terms used here, but still something was warranted. Why I didn't do it? I don't know. Maybe a subconscious desire to "tweek" the readers and I'm sorry for that. Every word in the article was true it's just that important facts were omitted. The fact is we read articles like this frequently in the general media and suck up news stories from the TV and the web that equally misrepresent the facts. We all need to be much more critical in this age of information glut so that 40% or more of our citizens don't find themselves believing fantasies that are quite easily refuted. I resolve to never do it again but ask readers to remember that we all can't know everything and sometimes we can make a mistake.

  10. #10
    So Dan, you got suckered and, as do many that try to make a living off writing and don't check facts before rushing to print and collect a pay check. Nothing new, but you look to be old enough to know better.....
    Last edited by flyingriki; 03-31-2012 at 08:49 PM.

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