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sirrom Heavy Crude


Joined: Feb 08, 2007 Posts: 200 Location: England
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:03 am Post subject: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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| Quote: | Highway in the sky"
Capable of vertical take-off and landing, the craft hovers like a helicopter up to 10ft off the ground. Any higher and the driver would need a pilot's license.
It is the brainchild of Dr Paul Moller, an aeronautics engineer who envisions a "highway in the sky" which he believes could cut conventional commuter traffic in half.
"We have this wonderful natural resource above us," Dr Moller told the BBC.
"Look at the sky above us - how many aircraft do you see? It's a great space that is not being utilised. That is what we plan to use. Cars are finished as a means of getting around. It's only a matter of time."
The flying saucer is powered by eight engines which can run on petrol, diesel or even ethanol.
"Cars are finished as a means of getting around. It's only a matter of time"
Dr Paul Moller
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i know it's not strictly energy tech,but it shows how people will soon be using even more oil(video on site)
it doesn't mention how many MPG it gets,can't be much with 8 engines.
EDIT:sorry forgot to add the site:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6970031.stm _________________ what did YOU do in the eco-war?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayz1SK4KbX4 |
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meekoil Heavy Crude


Joined: Jul 11, 2005 Posts: 120
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:42 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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| Perhaps you are unaware that Moller has been working on this for 40 years, and its always just a few years off. |
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RdSnt Light Sweet Crude


Joined: Feb 02, 2005 Posts: 1289 Location: Canada
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:45 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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While Dr. Moller's engine is very interesting, if noisy, he's been working on the skycar for over 30 years.
Both the saucer and skycar were built over 15 years ago, and every once in a while some newbie reporter "discovers" them and generates a story.
Nothing to see here folks, move along. _________________ Gravity is not a force, it is a boundary layer.
Everything is coincident.
Love: the state of suspended anticipation.
To get any appreciable distance from the Earth in
a sensible amount of time, you must lie. |
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Shannymara Moderator


Joined: Oct 04, 2004 Posts: 5664 Location: Body in OK, Heart in TX
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:51 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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| Quote: | | "Look at the sky above us - how many aircraft do you see? It's a great space that is not being utilised. |
This is a perfect example of why we're in the predicament we are in. This idea that everything is here for us to "use," and only has value accordingly, has got to go. _________________ "Every junkie's like a setting sun..." - Neil Young |
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sirrom Heavy Crude


Joined: Feb 08, 2007 Posts: 200 Location: England
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:29 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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the news story says that it is just a few months away from production not years.
it probably is a scam,but it sure would make a fun toy:) _________________ what did YOU do in the eco-war?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayz1SK4KbX4
Last edited by sirrom on Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:56 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Madpaddy Expert


Joined: Jun 25, 2004 Posts: 2128
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:53 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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Shannymara wrote,
| Quote: | | This is a perfect example of why we're in the predicament we are in. This idea that everything is here for us to "use," and only has value accordingly, has got to go. |
You are so right. We can't help ourselves. Rivers must be harnessed, natural resources exploited, the wilderness must be tamed. Our very language is destructive towards the environment we live in. _________________ www.askaboutenergy.com |
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emersonbiggins Moderator


Joined: Jul 10, 2005 Posts: 5173 Location: Dallas
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:09 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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Hi sirrom, and welcome to teh internet.
You see, there are a breed of seedy people called "scammers" on the internet, and then there are people like Dr. Moller, who are in a league all their own. Notice how adeptly Mr. Moller got this otherwise unsuspecting British dolt to file a 3-minute and 2-page national advertisement for his company, and likely did it without paying a dime. Notice as well that the young dolt was not treated to a live demonstration of any of Moller's movie set props, and instead was forwarded a couple of clips that Moller himself made obviously in the 1980s, considering the grainy quality of the video. Also, notice the crane in the background of both test runs, indicating that neither vehicle is under the driver's control, and instead is merely hovering like a box fan being suspended from your bathroom ceiling, and with about about as much steadiness, I might add.
I was about to merge this thread, sirrom, as Dr. Moller's "inventions" have been the talk of the internet for some time, and threads here do mention his failures from time to time, but this is the first solely intended for his vehicle, so I'm leaving it. I hope this clears things up, sirrom.
Also,
| Dr. Paul Moller wrote: | | Cars are finished as a means of getting around. It's only a matter of time. |
Methinks Dr. Moller does not know how right he is. _________________ "It's called the American Dream because you'd have to be asleep to believe it."
George Carlin |
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Windmills Heavy Crude

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Joined: Oct 11, 2005 Posts: 415 Location: Arizona, USA
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:41 pm Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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I listened to and watched news stories regarding the subject. From what I gathered, it isn't so much that we can't invent a flying car that is stable or seen as practical by the average person, but rather organizing and controlling gigantic, sky-darkening swarms of personal vehicles had no solution for decades. The proposed solution is a computer controlled, GPS-based control system supported by a sky in which there are more satellites than stars. It makes for a wondreful sermon Sunday at the local Church of the TechnoMessiah, but in reality it just represents an interesting technological means by which we can waste away our remaining energy reserves at an even more irrational rate.
I find it amusing how narrow-minded and short-sighted a supposed "Dr." can be. Beyond his tiny area of expertise in making fossil-fuel wasting machines, there's apparently a precipitous drop into the bucket of stupidity. |
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Battle_Scarred_Galactico Intermediate Crude

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Joined: Apr 07, 2005 Posts: 970
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:22 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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I notice there was no live demo at all, if its' only a few 'months' away, why wasn't moller flying it around himself right there ?
I'm not in a position to tell if hes' bullshitting or not as I don't know much about it, but it looks slightly suspicious. _________________ "One minute I held the key, next the walls were closed on me, and I discovered that my castle stands upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand." |
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JRP3 Heavy Crude


Joined: Oct 23, 2006 Posts: 396
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 9:38 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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The story is that the machines are tethered for insurance purposes in case of a failure, so they don't hit the ground. I don't really have a doubt that they can fly or that the technology can make it work, I just don't think it's viable in a practical sense. Sure looks like fun though. _________________ The shovel with a wheel - The Wovel.
http://wovel.com/
Building the AMPhibian
http://amp-phibian.blogspot.com/
http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/ |
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emersonbiggins Moderator


Joined: Jul 10, 2005 Posts: 5173 Location: Dallas
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:07 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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| JRP3 wrote: | | The story is that the machines are tethered for insurance purposes in case of a failure, so they don't hit the ground. |
I don't really buy that at this point, especially since they are ostensibly ready for production. If he is intent on selling these, I would expect a crowd-free test run at the Bonneville flats to at least lend some credibility to his scheme. Until then, fear of liability is an excuse. _________________ "It's called the American Dream because you'd have to be asleep to believe it."
George Carlin |
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Boris555 Tar Sands


Joined: Feb 01, 2006 Posts: 62
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:20 am Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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| I firmly believe that in the future "Moeller" will be a word similar to "Ponzi". |
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RdSnt Light Sweet Crude


Joined: Feb 02, 2005 Posts: 1289 Location: Canada
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:50 pm Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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Or Brinklin.
| Boris555 wrote: | | I firmly believe that in the future "Moeller" will be a word similar to "Ponzi". |
_________________ Gravity is not a force, it is a boundary layer.
Everything is coincident.
Love: the state of suspended anticipation.
To get any appreciable distance from the Earth in
a sensible amount of time, you must lie. |
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Dukat_Reloaded Light Sweet Crude


Joined: Jul 31, 2005 Posts: 1009
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emersonbiggins Moderator


Joined: Jul 10, 2005 Posts: 5173 Location: Dallas
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Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:09 pm Post subject: Re: 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off |
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| Dukat_Reloaded wrote: | Sky Cars have existed for decades now, they are called Gyrochopers.
MadMax had one in one of his movies.
Someone is making a more mass produced one here. |
Looks like vaporware to me.
Here's another "future scene" for good measure. Here's hoping!
 _________________ "It's called the American Dream because you'd have to be asleep to believe it."
George Carlin |
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