So Saturday afternoon, my wife and I are watching Smithsonian channel and found out about: Source: Flying gyrocopter jump-jeep gets $3m from DARPA • The Register Just the thing for wolf hunting in Alaska or dealing with DC traffic jams. Talk about a hybrid on steroids . . . I wonder what MPG it gets? Probably burns diesel, too expensive. Bob Wilson
7.62 shells aren't cheap either.....WHEN you can find them. I have to admit though.....that's ONE COOL hybrid.
At first blush you may worry about having your fellow drivers armed, but on reflection I worry more about my fellow drivers ability to keep their flying humvee in the air while texting/eating/applying makeup/yelling at the kids. I predict homeowners insurance will go way up once they plow into several houses. Can't we get them to fly in something made of balsa wood and bamboo?
For the US Military it's going to be designed to run on JP8 while meeting all performance specs and also be able to run on regular diesel fuel.
A mini version of the M1 Abram's Honeywell AGT1500C multi fuel turbine would do nicely as a rotor power plant for a VTOL. All the photos I've seen of gyrocopters so far puts the airplane propeller in the front not in the rear as depicted by the artist. I also think three wheel Aptera configuration makes more sense than a four wheel configuration as depicted by the artist. .
So, years ago I had a buddy who wanted me to take flying lessons with him, but I decided not to on the ground that my 3-D perception is good enough for driving, but not for flying. What will this new car/plane do for me?
