N
Nomen Nescio
Chrysler's Redemption: A Flying Car!
What better flagship of the Chrysler range than to design, build and MARKET
a mass-produced, affordable automobile that doubles as an airplane? As
this post develops, you will see it is a feasible project and without any
doubt will place the Chrysler marque at the pinacle of the entire
industrial complex pyramid.
Just look at Chrysler's emblem before and after the pentagram: Flying
Wings. Remember, Walter Chrysler established his manufacturing operation
in the days when his arch-rival Ford was already building airplanes, namely
the Ford Trimotor. There can be no doubt that Chrysler had in his mind the
idea of his company developing a competetive product to Ford's;
unfortunately, an idea sometimes outlives its creator, as in this case. But
where Ford sought to make his mark on commercial aviation, I suggest
Chrysler target the light plane industry.
Have flying cars been made and flown before? Yes! Did they cost a lot to
develop? No! Flying cars have been conceived as long as there have been
cars and planes. They just have not been very successful, both as to their
intended dual function and marketwise. They could not have been that costly
to develop because the various projects were labors of love by individuals
or small groups. All the money ever spent on flying cars in 100 years of
dreaming cannot equal even 1% of Ford's $6,000,000,000 (!) budget for
developing the Mondero/Contour/Mystique. Imagine all that money Ford spent
to "reinvent" the lowly Terraplane. Why don't you stop a moment and read
about an actual flying car:
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/aircraft/private/aerocar/info/info.htm
The fact that flying car prototypes were ever realized at all is a tribute
to the efforts of their inventors. I believe they were not fully
successful because of the limited resources applied in the face of the
enormity of the project. All the developers were aviation people (with
little money) trying to do a car; never have car people tried to do a
plane. I think that is half the secret: Chrysler has to develp a
consortium of experts in both fields of engineering to do it right. At the
present time they have neither.
Now you know a flying car is at least "doable", let's analyze the market
and how Chrysler could bring such a machine to fruition. I estimate the
world wide market is 10,000 units per year at $100,000 per copy, for a
billion dollars a year gross sales. Not bad for a top of the line flagship
- most auto company flagships never turn a profit. The customer base would
be civil and military government bodies (police, administrative, armed
forces) and the civilian aviation market now dominated by Cessna with a
handful of smaller players. Think of a flying car as sort of an ultimate
status symbol. You now think of the Cadillac Escalade or maybe a top of
the line M-B, Jag, or exotic like a Ferrari as the ultimate roadbound
status symbol, but that will change with the flying car. Who would want a
Ferrari when 10x the machine (and status) can be bought for 1/3 the price?
Just as few Cadillac Escalades get down and dirty, probably only one in
three flying cars will get airborne beyond their initial dealer
demonstration flights. Just owning one will be sooooo cool for the
wealthy, rock stars and the like. So of the 10,000 sold per year, probably
only half will actually be flown very much. No need to worry about crowded
skys, all those folks want to do with their new toy is sit around the
cocktail table and brag about how it can go up and down. As they enter the
second-hand market, no doubt a higher percentage will be flown.
There is money in this project. Chrysler will need to establish dealer
centers in about 12 major U.S. cities and another 12 overseas. It is there
where training and type certification will be done. The ratio of enrollees
to actual customers will be about 3:1, because so many hopefuls will take
the ground school-flight school course. The schools themselves will pay for
themselves with a profit. Chrysler machines will be used for flight
training. Machines will be sold only to FAA licensed pilots who have
complete the Chrysler airschool course with type certification, formidable,
but not exclusive. Just look at Harrison Ford who flies his personal Bell
helicoptor.
What kind of flying car are we talking about? Ever hear of the Segway?
Read about the Segway before going any further:
http://www.segway.com/
This kind of technology makes the Chrysler flying car feasible. The flying
car must be that, a car first that converts to flight with the ease of
driving. Take for instance take-offs and landings in gusty crosswinds.
Even with the proper skills and intense concentration, it is a
nerve-wracking experience and one slip and you have a disaster on your
hands. Segway technology will allow electronic augmentation to facilitate
the most difficult conditions - you will literally be able to drive your
car off or onto the runway with the ease of a point and shoot camera.
Automatic systems utilitzing ground radar, GPS, and electronic gyros will
facilitate ascents and descents and point-to-point navigation between
airports. Once landed, the flying car will convert in seconds to a road
car. Today's airplanes are useless beyond airports, that and the skill
required to operate them are the greatest limiting factors which make the
Chrylser flying car all the more practical. The Chrysler flying car should
be safer than any conventional light plane with its user-friendly
aerodynamic properties and augmentation systems. Ever hear of the
Aircoupe? That early post war effort was billed as a plane you "drive".
Was said to be stall-proof, spin proof, and could land crabbed (cockeyed)
in a cross wind without the notorious ground loop. The Chrysler car-plane
should do even better. It will still take training and practice, but even a
minimally trained pilot should be much safer than would otherwise be the
case in conventional planes. A favorable accident-incident record will be
essential for long-term success of the Chrysler project. Product liability
issues have plagued civil aviation for years, but reform has rectified some
issues and relieved manufacturers of prohibitive insurance premiums in that
line of insurance. Insurance for owners must also be available; Chrysler
itself may be interested in forming an insurance company, for added
business, just to insure its owners.
I think the project can be done for about $1,000,000,000 in R & D to the
first production run. That's 1000 times more than Molt Taylor spent on his
Aerocar and six times less than Ford spent reinventing its wheels.
Chrysler will farm out the R & D around the world to small groups in all
the countries that will constitute its market. That's not only the
economical way to do it but will stimulate those markets: Germany, Italy,
France (yes), England (maybe), Russia, China, and a few others.
Subassemblies can be made in those countries also. Final assembly must be
done in Dearborn. This is going to be a Made in U.S.A. car-plane, via final
assembly.
Mass production techniques will be employed to keep the retail down to
$100,000 with a $25,000 net profit to Chrysler on each one for about
$250,000,000 gross profit per year. Service will be split, with the road
car part at your friendly Chrysler dealer and the air car part at the 12
regional centers. Servicing will be highly profitable as these flying cars
will have to be inspected and certified annually.
Configuration most likely will be modeled after the ConVairCar, Taylor
Aerocar or Flying Pinto in that the craft will be fixed wing, rather than
rotary wing (remotely possible). It will definitely not be propulsion
lifted like a Moeller. A lot of study will needed to be done to decide the
best way to drive and fly (trailerable wings? park wings at airport?
foldable wings?) Sophistication and development will need to be at least
one order of magnitude greater than the previous efforts.
Chrysler will do well to buy up all the trademarks and patents in the
field, especially those involving actual prototypes that flew. That way
they will have a snazzy name for their product. Remember the Amana
RadarRange? What a name.
Put me in charge of D-C and you will be airborne in 5 years! Wouldn't you
just love to look down (literally) on Fords, Chevys, and Toyotas while
cruising along in an AirViper?
What better flagship of the Chrysler range than to design, build and MARKET
a mass-produced, affordable automobile that doubles as an airplane? As
this post develops, you will see it is a feasible project and without any
doubt will place the Chrysler marque at the pinacle of the entire
industrial complex pyramid.
Just look at Chrysler's emblem before and after the pentagram: Flying
Wings. Remember, Walter Chrysler established his manufacturing operation
in the days when his arch-rival Ford was already building airplanes, namely
the Ford Trimotor. There can be no doubt that Chrysler had in his mind the
idea of his company developing a competetive product to Ford's;
unfortunately, an idea sometimes outlives its creator, as in this case. But
where Ford sought to make his mark on commercial aviation, I suggest
Chrysler target the light plane industry.
Have flying cars been made and flown before? Yes! Did they cost a lot to
develop? No! Flying cars have been conceived as long as there have been
cars and planes. They just have not been very successful, both as to their
intended dual function and marketwise. They could not have been that costly
to develop because the various projects were labors of love by individuals
or small groups. All the money ever spent on flying cars in 100 years of
dreaming cannot equal even 1% of Ford's $6,000,000,000 (!) budget for
developing the Mondero/Contour/Mystique. Imagine all that money Ford spent
to "reinvent" the lowly Terraplane. Why don't you stop a moment and read
about an actual flying car:
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/aircraft/private/aerocar/info/info.htm
The fact that flying car prototypes were ever realized at all is a tribute
to the efforts of their inventors. I believe they were not fully
successful because of the limited resources applied in the face of the
enormity of the project. All the developers were aviation people (with
little money) trying to do a car; never have car people tried to do a
plane. I think that is half the secret: Chrysler has to develp a
consortium of experts in both fields of engineering to do it right. At the
present time they have neither.
Now you know a flying car is at least "doable", let's analyze the market
and how Chrysler could bring such a machine to fruition. I estimate the
world wide market is 10,000 units per year at $100,000 per copy, for a
billion dollars a year gross sales. Not bad for a top of the line flagship
- most auto company flagships never turn a profit. The customer base would
be civil and military government bodies (police, administrative, armed
forces) and the civilian aviation market now dominated by Cessna with a
handful of smaller players. Think of a flying car as sort of an ultimate
status symbol. You now think of the Cadillac Escalade or maybe a top of
the line M-B, Jag, or exotic like a Ferrari as the ultimate roadbound
status symbol, but that will change with the flying car. Who would want a
Ferrari when 10x the machine (and status) can be bought for 1/3 the price?
Just as few Cadillac Escalades get down and dirty, probably only one in
three flying cars will get airborne beyond their initial dealer
demonstration flights. Just owning one will be sooooo cool for the
wealthy, rock stars and the like. So of the 10,000 sold per year, probably
only half will actually be flown very much. No need to worry about crowded
skys, all those folks want to do with their new toy is sit around the
cocktail table and brag about how it can go up and down. As they enter the
second-hand market, no doubt a higher percentage will be flown.
There is money in this project. Chrysler will need to establish dealer
centers in about 12 major U.S. cities and another 12 overseas. It is there
where training and type certification will be done. The ratio of enrollees
to actual customers will be about 3:1, because so many hopefuls will take
the ground school-flight school course. The schools themselves will pay for
themselves with a profit. Chrysler machines will be used for flight
training. Machines will be sold only to FAA licensed pilots who have
complete the Chrysler airschool course with type certification, formidable,
but not exclusive. Just look at Harrison Ford who flies his personal Bell
helicoptor.
What kind of flying car are we talking about? Ever hear of the Segway?
Read about the Segway before going any further:
http://www.segway.com/
This kind of technology makes the Chrysler flying car feasible. The flying
car must be that, a car first that converts to flight with the ease of
driving. Take for instance take-offs and landings in gusty crosswinds.
Even with the proper skills and intense concentration, it is a
nerve-wracking experience and one slip and you have a disaster on your
hands. Segway technology will allow electronic augmentation to facilitate
the most difficult conditions - you will literally be able to drive your
car off or onto the runway with the ease of a point and shoot camera.
Automatic systems utilitzing ground radar, GPS, and electronic gyros will
facilitate ascents and descents and point-to-point navigation between
airports. Once landed, the flying car will convert in seconds to a road
car. Today's airplanes are useless beyond airports, that and the skill
required to operate them are the greatest limiting factors which make the
Chrylser flying car all the more practical. The Chrysler flying car should
be safer than any conventional light plane with its user-friendly
aerodynamic properties and augmentation systems. Ever hear of the
Aircoupe? That early post war effort was billed as a plane you "drive".
Was said to be stall-proof, spin proof, and could land crabbed (cockeyed)
in a cross wind without the notorious ground loop. The Chrysler car-plane
should do even better. It will still take training and practice, but even a
minimally trained pilot should be much safer than would otherwise be the
case in conventional planes. A favorable accident-incident record will be
essential for long-term success of the Chrysler project. Product liability
issues have plagued civil aviation for years, but reform has rectified some
issues and relieved manufacturers of prohibitive insurance premiums in that
line of insurance. Insurance for owners must also be available; Chrysler
itself may be interested in forming an insurance company, for added
business, just to insure its owners.
I think the project can be done for about $1,000,000,000 in R & D to the
first production run. That's 1000 times more than Molt Taylor spent on his
Aerocar and six times less than Ford spent reinventing its wheels.
Chrysler will farm out the R & D around the world to small groups in all
the countries that will constitute its market. That's not only the
economical way to do it but will stimulate those markets: Germany, Italy,
France (yes), England (maybe), Russia, China, and a few others.
Subassemblies can be made in those countries also. Final assembly must be
done in Dearborn. This is going to be a Made in U.S.A. car-plane, via final
assembly.
Mass production techniques will be employed to keep the retail down to
$100,000 with a $25,000 net profit to Chrysler on each one for about
$250,000,000 gross profit per year. Service will be split, with the road
car part at your friendly Chrysler dealer and the air car part at the 12
regional centers. Servicing will be highly profitable as these flying cars
will have to be inspected and certified annually.
Configuration most likely will be modeled after the ConVairCar, Taylor
Aerocar or Flying Pinto in that the craft will be fixed wing, rather than
rotary wing (remotely possible). It will definitely not be propulsion
lifted like a Moeller. A lot of study will needed to be done to decide the
best way to drive and fly (trailerable wings? park wings at airport?
foldable wings?) Sophistication and development will need to be at least
one order of magnitude greater than the previous efforts.
Chrysler will do well to buy up all the trademarks and patents in the
field, especially those involving actual prototypes that flew. That way
they will have a snazzy name for their product. Remember the Amana
RadarRange? What a name.
Put me in charge of D-C and you will be airborne in 5 years! Wouldn't you
just love to look down (literally) on Fords, Chevys, and Toyotas while
cruising along in an AirViper?