Flying Car Using Renesis Engine
04-06-2007, 11:04 AM
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Flying Car Using Renesis Engine
Check out what these guys want to do:
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/06/r...th-flying-car/
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/06/r...th-flying-car/
Originally Posted by Engadget
Proving that flying cars are not just a dream for the young, a pair of retirees in their seventies have set out to take themselves airborne in style, pouring their own money and know-how into their self-designed vehicle. As The Dallas Morning News reports, the duo has already invested about $70,000 in the car, dubbed the GT Flyer, and they're now seeking some $1.2 million from investors in order to actually make a prototype that gets off the ground. That will apparently be based around a 232 horsepower engine from a Mazda RX-8, which will drive the vehicle's front wheels when it's in "car mode," and spin the rear-mounted propeller when switched to flight mode, topping out a comfortable cruising speed of 150 mph. As a little added incentive, they're also hoping to enter the car into NASA's Personal Air Vehicle Centennial Challenge, which could net them between $250,000 and $550,000, although we somehow doubt they'd use that to retire.
04-06-2007, 11:06 AM
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my other car is blue
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Retirees Plan to build renesis-based Flying car
http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/06/r...th-flying-car/
Proving that flying cars are not just a dream for the young, a pair of retirees in their seventies have set out to take themselves airborne in style, pouring their own money and know-how into their self-designed vehicle. As The Dallas Morning News reports, the duo has already invested about $70,000 in the car, dubbed the GT Flyer, and they're now seeking some $1.2 million from investors in order to actually make a prototype that gets off the ground. That will apparently be based around a 232 horsepower engine from a Mazda RX-8, which will drive the vehicle's front wheels when it's in "car mode," and spin the rear-mounted propeller when switched to flight mode, topping out a comfortable cruising speed of 150 mph. As a little added incentive, they're also hoping to enter the car into NASA's Personal Air Vehicle Centennial Challenge, which could net them between $250,000 and $550,000, although we somehow doubt they'd use that to retire.
Proving that flying cars are not just a dream for the young, a pair of retirees in their seventies have set out to take themselves airborne in style, pouring their own money and know-how into their self-designed vehicle. As The Dallas Morning News reports, the duo has already invested about $70,000 in the car, dubbed the GT Flyer, and they're now seeking some $1.2 million from investors in order to actually make a prototype that gets off the ground. That will apparently be based around a 232 horsepower engine from a Mazda RX-8, which will drive the vehicle's front wheels when it's in "car mode," and spin the rear-mounted propeller when switched to flight mode, topping out a comfortable cruising speed of 150 mph. As a little added incentive, they're also hoping to enter the car into NASA's Personal Air Vehicle Centennial Challenge, which could net them between $250,000 and $550,000, although we somehow doubt they'd use that to retire.
04-06-2007, 11:22 AM
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oh and here's a thread with an earlier article
https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/mazda-rotary-engine-flying-car-113433/
https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/mazda-rotary-engine-flying-car-113433/
there goes my fun... 
04-06-2007, 11:45 AM
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They are shooting for 1200 pounds with wings and everything! Imagine taking off the wings and everything plane-related and simply having an 800-900 pound, rotary-trike. Could this really be a possibility? I saw a LOTUS Exige the other day and the lightweight intrigued me. Why can't we have a lightweight RX8? I'm sorry this isn't about flying, but I can't take the flying part seriously since that's at least 10 years away.
04-06-2007, 12:07 PM
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Wow there are some very dumb people posting over there. We are going to call these types of rotary retarded people "rotards". Apex seals very prone to failure, fall out of the sly, not enough torque for this use, blah, blah, blah. All false! They should check out the scores of rotary aviation websites out there.
04-06-2007, 12:31 PM
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rotards is not a good term, how about just ignorant so the "real rotards" namesake is not lost on ill informed people. 
On another note, seems to me the rotary would be ideal for a plane, lightweight, spins to infinity, very few moving parts etc etc
On another note, seems to me the rotary would be ideal for a plane, lightweight, spins to infinity, very few moving parts etc etc
04-06-2007, 12:46 PM
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Here are a couple of sites that seem to agree with a rotary being a good aircraft engine.
http://www.rotaryeng.net/
http://www.rotaryaviation.com/
http://www.rotaryeng.net/
http://www.rotaryaviation.com/
04-06-2007, 02:13 PM
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engine dies...plane becomes a paper weight... 
I wish people would think before they speak. Not only do they not know about rotaries, they don't even understand aerodynamics.
I wish people would think before they speak. Not only do they not know about rotaries, they don't even understand aerodynamics.
04-06-2007, 02:58 PM
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I know you are highly knowledgable about rotaries, but I am not sure about airplanes, so I can't tell if you are being sarcastic or not. In light of that, I will respond kindly.
Technically it becomes a paper weight with wings. As long as those wings are moving forward, they will create lift. the faster they are moving, the more lift they will produce. Your pitch will control your speed, in the c-172's I fly if the engine dies, I pitch for 80 mph. this will create the least amount of drag on the plane and allow you to glide the greatest distance.
If you aren't over a congested area you should still be able to get it down safely.
Technically it becomes a paper weight with wings. As long as those wings are moving forward, they will create lift. the faster they are moving, the more lift they will produce. Your pitch will control your speed, in the c-172's I fly if the engine dies, I pitch for 80 mph. this will create the least amount of drag on the plane and allow you to glide the greatest distance.
If you aren't over a congested area you should still be able to get it down safely.
04-07-2007, 01:49 PM
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Guys, this dream these two retirees have has been played before - by a company called Moller, inventor of the Moller Sky Car: http://www.moller.com/ . This guy hasbeen working on the thing for like 50 years. If you're placing your money somewhere, I'd go with the guys at Moller International. Although, I don't know the differences between the Rotax rotary engine and the Renesis. I still think it's cool that these guys are using the Renisis - just pray the coil packs don't go bad while at cruising speed!
04-07-2007, 05:14 PM
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When a piston engine fails, it just dies.
When an apex seal goes on a rotary, it still makes a little power...I drove mine for almost a mile after the seal gave out.
So, you could probably do a little better than 'heavy glider' if your Renesis blows whilst flying. Maybe that makes it MORE safe, not less.
When an apex seal goes on a rotary, it still makes a little power...I drove mine for almost a mile after the seal gave out.
So, you could probably do a little better than 'heavy glider' if your Renesis blows whilst flying. Maybe that makes it MORE safe, not less.
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