General Aviation News has recently reported that the US’s FAA has accepted Moller International’s application for an Experimental Airworthiness Certification for the M400 Skycar – the last step in the federal regulatory requirements process just prior to an actual flight test.
In case you are not familiar with this flying car idea, the M400 Skycar differs from the more well known Terrafugia Transition flying car concept as its designed to be the world’s first and only feasible personal vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle that is intended to replace the automobile. Moreover and as you can see from the aircraft specs below, the M400 Skycar is designed to be a green aircraft as it will fly on ethanol.
However and as we noted last week, a debut of a Terrafugia Transition flying car prototype will be delayed as they have “encountered a number of the challenges that are common in aircraft development programs, including problems with third party suppliers.”
Hence, I suspect that the M400 Skycar will run into the same types of issues when its time to move into the prototype and production phases. Nevertheless and from the pictures below and on the company website, the M400 Skycar looks like a great alternative idea to being stuck in traffic!
