Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future - Jalopnik Comments

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Elhigh — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:19:28 EST

"I told you so."

This has been complete vaporware since day one, back in the 80's, on the cover of Popular Mechanics. Hell, even the Riley TriMagnum is more achievable than this, and you have to build the body for that from scratch - it isn't even available as a kit.

This thing isn't available at all. And I don't think it ever will be.

Elhigh

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

squablow — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:44:46 EST

@ranwhenparked: Hank and Dean already have those swell hovering scooters with the baskets on the front.

squablow

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Trackback — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:29:55 EST

Here’s the latest action: 1. Alibaba launches its own ad platform 2. SpiralFrog losing money rapidly 3. Viddler launches way to advertise at “tagged’ points within video 4. Amazon.com’s Kindle e-reader receives mixed reviews 5.

Trackback

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

TR3-A — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:30:20 EST

The problem with Moller's concept is that if you have engine failure, you go down. No gliding, no auto-rotation, just the sound of crunching equipment and a brief, muffled cry.

That having been said, I admire the guy. He has been through the mill many times and has kept his dream, however flawed, alive for decades. Chances are, he'll get through this unless age has finally caught up with him.

TR3-A

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Trackback — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:27:23 EST

For decades, futurists have predicted (and science fiction types have just assumed) that we're on the verge of having flying cars. It's pretty much the standard prediction. And yet, despite years of hype, the idea of the flying car has always been the technology of tomorrow.

Trackback

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

FЯeeMan is slowly cЯawling out of the new commenting system — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:15:59 EST

@Mad_Science: Man, that's a really "Lett" valued company!

sorry, to much time at Gizmodo...

FЯeeMan is slowly cЯawling out of the new commenting system

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Tanshanomi — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 10:24:53 EST

To his credit, Moller came up with the Supertrapp exhaust. And then sold the company so he could fund development of his flying saucer. Oh wait, I guess he IS a dork. The only other person I can imagine making that choice is Dr. Evil. ("I have one simple request. And that is to have a friggin' bubble-top flying saucer that can friggin' hover and land on my friggin' patio. Is that so hard? Throw me a bone, here, people!")

Actually, his original name for the Supertrapp was "Disco-Jet." Which should be the name for his flying car, considering how outdated the concept is. You think your Hummer is anti-green? Try holding a production vehicle off the ground with pure thrust! Really macho motors don't need no panty-waist helpers like wings or wheels. After all, we're the dominant species, so it's OUR DAMN OIL. Yea, who's your daddy now, Dino!

(Is it any coincidence that the words effeminate and efficient are so alike? Well, there you go. I think I've made my point.)

Tanshanomi

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there! — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:51:37 EST

@teargas: Last thing I heard was that Jaguar was going to be put on eBay

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there!

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Comrade Teargaskov — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:28:22 EST

@teargas: Never mind...Maybe we can buy Land Rover or Jaguar.

Comrade Teargaskov

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Comrade Teargaskov — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:20:05 EST

@Mad_Science: Yeah, I'll go halfsies.

Comrade Teargaskov

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

smokeydog001 — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 06:43:59 EST

Couldn't you convert the shares into carbon credits?

smokeydog001

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

thunder — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:05:04 EST

The only surprise in this announcement is that it's Moeller who is expressing substantial doubt.

@RayBee: Hey; that's my rant!

@txturbo930: They'll stop bilking investors when investors stop wanting to be bilked. Moeller is the spam king of the analog world; all he needs is to convince a foolish few to part with their money, and he can keep up his happy charade, thumbing his nose at the rest of us.

thunder

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

IamZardoz — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:53:35 EST

Hard to believe this is the same guy who invented the Supertrapp muffler, a pretty good product. Think he sold the company though.

IamZardoz

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

944turb0 — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:31:35 EST

Who is really suprised?

944turb0

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

NovaloadMissesPolar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:08:58 EST

@redman042: Luddite.
The flying cars will be silent and solar powered. And they will actually free up surface space. And not clogging up airplace space as they will be flying in the lowest space that only birds and the occasional bottle rocket occupy. And Darwin will quickly weed out the worst aviators, thereby reducing planet population overload. Plus the really poor people won't have them anyway--it's not like everyone's going to be up there like a giant swarm of locusts.
Get with the program, dude. The future is always cooler than the present.

NovaloadMissesPolar

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

redman042 — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:28:58 EST

As kids I think we all dreamed of flying cars. It would be the coolest thing in the world if it came true. Unfortunately, there are a few billion too many people stuffed onto this planet for that idea to ever be feasible. It's just not a viable way for a population this big to get around. Honestly, I'd prefer if there were LESS aircraft in the sky than there are now, not more. This might have something to do with my house being under a flight path, but the bottom line is that it's real hard these days to find peace and quiet in this world. Cool vehicles are great, but quality of life has to come first.

So I really don't care of Moeller is for real or not, because even if his idea and implementation were sound, flying cars for individuals just simply isn't viable on this planet.

redman042

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

biminitwst — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:19:13 EST

With that kind of stratospheric deficit, I think George W. Bush should set his sights on the CEO job when he leaves his present position in a little over a year.
IOW, that'll never fly.
And I'm STILL waiting for my jetpack. Weren't we all supposed to have one by 2000?

biminitwst

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Charles_Barrett - Now with Variable-Valve Timing — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:03:18 EST

@Mad_Science: @RC51: Dammit! Again I'm too slow! I was reaching for my calculator to calculate market capitalization when I scrolled down a little further and read your comments. Curses, foiled again! QOTD/COTD shall continue to elude me!

Charles_Barrett - Now with Variable-Valve Timing

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Colonel35 — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:58:21 EST

@Munsta: Correct; There are 46M shares outstanding, valuing the company at around $38M.

Colonel35

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

ranwhenparked — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:36:27 EST

Maybe Venture Industries will bail them out? Surely the technology of the X-1 can be adapted to a flying car.

ranwhenparked

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Mad_Science — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 19:01:12 EST

I'd imagine working there would be sort of like joining a cult.

You know you're well outside of "normal," but maybe you're here to really make a big change. Mr. Moller is of course the #1 Great Leader, whose vision is not to be questioned. You're never quite sure if he's crazy enough to believe he's 3 years away from completion or just crooked and trying to bilk people.

But I suppose I'd rather take a ride in a Sky Car than drink the Kool-aide

Mad_Science

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Joe Alien — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 18:19:54 EST

If Mr. Moller would actually show his little contraption actually flying; you know, as in moving about the airspace like, oh I don't know, the WRIGHT BROTHERS DID!!!, then people might have more faith in his plans. Instead, it's been decades of slick models, contraptions hanging from a rope like a bad teather ball game. Does he actually wonder why it's not going anywhere? Well, maybe because IT'S NOT GONE ANYWHERE.

The answer to this little challenge is Burt Rutan who could muster not only a design that, you know, actually flies, but muster the financial backing to get it done. Nuf said.

Joe Alien

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there! — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:58:00 EST

@Novaload: God here, stop swearing.

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there!

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

NovaloadMissesPolar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:54:47 EST

I swear to god, I thought the server belched.

NovaloadMissesPolar

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

NovaloadMissesPolar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:54:28 EST

I swear to god, I thought that was an Onion headline.

NovaloadMissesPolar

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Paul Y. can't think of a better, shorter handle — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:54:19 EST

HOORAY. I've been hearing about this nutjob for as long as I can remember, it's about time market forces declare what we all assumed: bullshit.

Paul Y. can't think of a better, shorter handle

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

NovaloadMissesPolar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:53:31 EST

I swear to god, I thought it was an Onion headline.

NovaloadMissesPolar

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Munsta — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:49:40 EST

I think that's 1700 shares traded, not shares outstanding. Sorry guys but dreams of owning your own car company is still more out of reach than you think, even it said car company is defunct.

Munsta

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

evoCS is possibly NSFW — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:47:28 EST

@BustedWheel:
@htrodblder:
I'll happily invest some dough in the Monkey poop M400 if I can score a few free shirts!

evoCS is possibly NSFW

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

MarkB — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:44:47 EST

Speaking of Vector, I just came from the LA auto show and EWWWWEE! WTF are they thinking bringing that POS to the car show?

MarkB

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

htrodblder — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:42:56 EST

Bustedwheel, whatcha gonna call your Monkey poop throwing company? I wanna buy a shirt!

htrodblder

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

txturbo930 — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:30:04 EST

when will these guys quit bilking investors chasing this?

txturbo930

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

RC51 — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:27:43 EST

Wow, 1,700 shares. 40 million defecit and a market cap of $1377.00. Hang on for a wild ride (pun intended, but sadly lacking)

RC51

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

bananaDoc — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:15:32 EST

Substatantial Doubt?! Wow, that is a LOT of doubt.

bananaDoc

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:09:31 EST

@Mad_Science: This was my immediate reaction as well. They're assets are worth at least two, no, three times that much. Plus, how cool would a flying DAFamino look?

Ben Wojdyla

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

skaz — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:00:46 EST

@Bumblebee: Bravo, good sir.

skaz

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Seth L — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:59:13 EST

@Mad_Science:

We could get in the Neiman Marcus catalog every year!

Seth L

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Bumblebee — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:56:30 EST

So much for this dragon's dream of joining the Mile-High Club.

Bumblebee

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Tomsk — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:56:09 EST

The Moller M400: The Duke Nukem Forever of Automobiles.

Tomsk

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

RayBee — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:54:55 EST

This guy and his concept was bogus from the word "go", much like Gary Wiegert and the Vector. Development on the already questionable concept proceeded at a snail's pace, and every so often, the dog-and-pony show would reveal a cleaned-up "prototype" with a new paint job, the promise of a new engine supplier "already in the works" (I love that line), the revelation of new expanding technology ("oooo... highways in the SKY, daddy!" "That's right, son; I'll see you on the landing pad behind the house just after that meeting in Hoboken.")

Give me a break....

RayBee

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

TinaChow — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:53:09 EST

So, a Tesla battery powered flying car is probably completely out of the picture then?

TinaChow

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Mad_Science — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:53:01 EST

$0.81 * 1700 = $1377

Ummm...anyone wanna be co-owner of a defunct flying car company with me?

Mad_Science

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

BustedWheel — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:52:12 EST

I didn't realize that this company was public. And that someone would actually buy shares of it?

I am going to start a company making sling-shots for monkeys to shoot their poop instead of throwing it. Anyone want to buy some shares?

BustedWheel

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there! — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:47:39 EST

@Rust-MyEnemy: .....about fying cars, before you ask.

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there!

Moller Expresses "Substantial Doubt" About Flying Car Future

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there! — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 16:47:07 EST

Great minds think alike. I too have substantial doubts.

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there!