Will Debut At The New York International Auto Show

by ANN Managing Editor (And Resident Motorhead) Rob Finfrock

Let's face it -- in most "serious" aviation circles, the idea of a flying car is met with raised eyebrows, at best -- and at worst, outright disdain. There's arguably fair precedent for those attitudes, given the less-than-stellar proposals to date... from flying Ford Pintos, to the still resolutely-earthbound Moller concepts.

But there are signs of life, and innovation, in this segment. ANN reported in 2006 on the Terrafugia, a "roadable aircraft" now under development... and while we're still skeptics, most ANN'ers are also quite willing to be proven wrong.

It was with a similar, measured "hmmm..." I read recently of the latest flying-car concept, to be formally unveiled later this month at the prestigious New York International Auto Show. Developed by Jim Milner, the Milner Motors AirCar is billed as a four-seat advanced-composite car that you can fly to your destination, fold up the wings and drive it down the highway.

The Aircar features a foldable main wing in the rear of the vehicle and a canard lifting surface in the front. For trips up to 1,000 miles, the AirCar will provide the fastest door-to-door travel times possible, according to Milner

When airborne, the 28-ft wingspan, 3,000 lb. maximum weight AirCar will cruise at 200 mph for up to 1,000-miles, according to the company. Power comes from two rotary engines that drive dual 28-inch pusher ducted fans.

Once on the ground, the wings fold to 7-ft wide, and a separate 40-hp engine powers the car up to 85 mph. The initial prototype is non-flying but driveable, and demonstrates it is possible to design and build a car that not only flies, but is also an airplane strong enough to drive on public roads.

As a flight instructor, airline pilot, and successful entrepreneur, with over 35 years in the aviation industry, Milner believes he is well-positioned to deliver on the promise of bringing a flying car to market.

He's also hedging his bets just a bit -- as in addition to the flying car concept, Milner will also unveil a streetbound gas/electric automobile concept in New York -- arguably, a more bankable concept in today's fuel-conscious automotive market, that continues to buy Toyota Priuses in droves.

The ElectriCar (above) is a four-door, lightweight vehicle, that shares most of the same basic design concepts as the AirCar, but without the wings and ducted fans. The sleek vehicle -- which actually looks quite stunning -- will be displayed alongside the AirCar in New York.

Time will tell whether Milner's AirCar will become the 21st-Century equivalent to the Model T... or, something more like this. Stay tuned.

FMI: www.milnermotors.com