January 18, 2010

Flying car update

Quick update showing the (not so rapid) progress of my flying vehicle. The angled support struts are there to give some sense of an underlying framework and also to segment that needless expanse of glass. You can't tell, but I've also tapered the cockpit section a bit. (Click on images to view full size.)

Interior shot (with the shadow settings off) to show the steps and railing of the elevated cockpit section. Nothing too fancy.

Finally, a rear shot showing the downward sweeping window section. Again, all that uninterrupted window seems impractical. The trick is to decide where to make the divisions without sacrificing the natural flow of the design. Still a long way to go on this.


January 11, 2010

Flying Vehicle

It's time I accepted a harsh reality. I can't count on science to give me the things it promised me when I was a kid. For a while I was mad at science, but then it acted all ashamed and looked at me through those thick, taped-up glasses and then we hugged and it promised not to do it again. Glad that's behind us.

Below is the initial stage for a flying passenger vehicle, levitated and propelled by some anti-gravity system (whenever you feel like it, science.) Just the cockpit, so far. I'm still not totally sure which direction I want to go, but I'm leaning towards a sort of weekend getaway thing with a seating area, kitchen, bar, simple sleeping quarters, etc. Basically, a flying RV about the size of a single-wide mobile home. (Click on images to view full size.)

You'll notice the control panel floating in space. I haven't decided on how best to anchor it to the floor. Here's an opposite view. Another task for science is to devise some new material to make possible this giant curved windshield without compromising safety (sooner or later, someone's gonna hit a bird.)

Finally, here's quick shot from inside. The astute viewer will notice the lounge chair from my Christmas card. Just chop the legs off, add a swivel base and headrest and you got yourself a groovy pilot's seat. Keep checking back for updates.

 
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SketchUp/Screw-up by Timothy P. Butler is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.