Thursday, February 23, 2023

They never got around to making one, did they?

 

2 comments:

  1. There have been amphibious cars ever since WWII, the Seep (Sea Jeep) for example. But it couldn't handle rough water well enough to even cross a major river safely, and I don't know of any amphibian much smaller than the Deuce-and-a-Half that was really practical in both roles.

    There are car/airplane hybrids, but those are even less practical. Taking off and landing a small plane on a highway is only safe if someone will block traffic for you, so you can only fly to the closest airport, and then you're driving a small car burdened with a big load of wings and tail. It's more practical and no more expensive to fly a Cessna and rent a car. A roadable helicopter might make more sense, but helicopters cost a lot in fuel and maintenance. If you're rich enough to go everywhere by helicopter, you're rich enough to have someone meet you with a limo whenever the helicopter can't land close enough. What's really needed is something that can take off and land straight up without the rotor downwash and clearances needed for a helicopter - but that's antigravity, and we don't even have a theory for that.

    As for doing all three, you'd wind up with a mess that failed in all three modes.

    markm

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