Transportation

[fbhjr]

Thursday we’re going to leave for the drive down to Pensacola. It’s a long
drive and I always find myself thinking “Isn’t there a better way to get
1400 miles?”
(I should be thankful it’s not more. I can drive this distance in the time
it takes me to fly to China.)
I was talking with my boss about it last week. His response was “It is
2008, where’s my flying car?”
I’m a fan of SF shows from the 60’s and 70’s. One thing they almost all
share is the idea that by the early 21st century, it would be easier to get
around.
SST’s, flying cars, hypersonic subterranean shuttles, etc. are all in those
shows.
The only one that happened was the SST, and Concord has since retired. (It
was a bad design. Way too expensive, too short a range, too few people and
I won’t even get into the fuel tanks.)
And, given what cars and planes put into the air, it would be nice to have
a better way to get around.
I wish there was a better way.

Comments

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

"I won’t even get into the fuel tanks"

Well..yeah it's what got into the fuel tanks that helped spell the end, wasn't it? :P

And I find it ironic US designers are looking at the TU-144 in the 'new' SST plans for that lofty project.

I seem to recall seeing a number of articles in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science that was talking about a revolutionary Engine design for aircraft - Visualize your regular, cigar-shaped nacelle, but now place near the front end, a pair of counter-rotating fanblades, looking sort of like boomerang shaped blades - It was either a ducted-turbofan powered arrangement, or something like a helicopter engine, transfering some power to drive those blades - Apparently the test versions were an enourmous percentage more efficient and increased power output to 'regular' engines...But the design never went anywhere, and I was always confused by it...I think this was in the early 1990's, when gas was at .90 cents.

But what's frustrating I've also read bits where we currently have the technology and [economy] to have much of the country to convert regular car engines to alternative designs, with really no major re-tooling for manufacturers.

In my Sci-Fi Futuristic World, I still imagine an idea of a computer aided navigation system, with GPS and systems in use with Airliners, where you punch in coordinates, program a route, and then choose "Scenic" or "Get There Now" like options, and the car automatically links into a system, linking with cars going to similar destinations, and allowing the car to go at very high speed - albeit would have to be effiecently of course - instead of droning at 65-70mph for hours on end...So like Commuter "lanes" being linked up, means a normal 1 hour drive would take like 5 minutes, because the car's computer would coordinate with a major system, with other cars, and use 'effeicent' routes and roads.

But it all comes down to the $$$ in the end, that and people don't want change.

And I also have to argue against the "flying car" dream - sure, it'd be awesome, but, you notice how people can't drive nowadays? What happens when they're flying a car and yapping on a cellphone? Or flying aggressively? Or what happens when they break down, you can't just pull over to the side of the road and call AAA in an aircraft, esspecially at altitude, and since there is such a high demand for as little interaction and personal maintenance for cars as it is now - I do not see personal flying cars happening any time soon. Sorry.

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

That or we need to get a private aircraft...I'd happily get my certification for that...Or I could pretend to know what I'm doing...I've spent hours on Flight Simulators...that's halfway there, right? ;D

Did I ever tell you the story of my first airshow when I was a kid, I was sitting in the cockpit of a Sea King ASW helicopter, and was able to point out nearly every single instrument and control surface, and the pilot thought I was just about to do the startup procedure...He was a bit shocked...So was my brother and uncle. :D

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

Trust me, given the folks that drive on the roads to and from work convince me not to let them fly around too...

[perrin-o-ravnos.livejournal.com]

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/mean_automakers_dash_nations_hope

it explains it all! those damn automakers!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

You know, I've had customers ask me questions like that. I understand how those car makers felt.
I had one today ask me "Can I use your lock with this other companies file cabinet?"
"How would I know?" I asked. "What kind of lock do they use?"
"Silver, like yours."
I didn't think to ask if it would fly...

[yebo.livejournal.com]

Just remember when teleporting North to South to conserve angular momentum - I don't want you slamming into a wall ;)