Moller Skycar makes it on eBay
When we first reported on the Moller M400 Skycar auction a couple of weeks ago, we speculated that you would need a pilot's license in addition to the $4 million reserve price. Well, the flying car has finally reached the pages of eBay and we have more of the specifics for you. As many of us suspected, the Skycar "is suitable for test and evaluation only and is not certified for use by the Federal Aviation Authority nor as a licensed road vehicle." So you are basically bidding to finance future work and the right to own a very large remote control plane. But the Skycar is a real vehicle. Road and flight tests have been going on since September 2001, and this test vehicle has flown over a dozen times at the Moller International facilities in Davis, California.
Powered by eight air-cooled Rotapower rotary engines, this prototype M400 Skycar is capable of generating approximately 2,000 pounds of vertical thrust. It currently runs on methanol, but can also be operated on regular unleaded pump gas. And remember when we said this was essentially an RC plane? The "pilot" uses a remote control to "fly" the vehicle, which uses a sophisticated computer and fly-by-wire system to control altitude and orientation. Commands are fed through a 300-ft umbilical cable attached to the aircraft. Up until now, it has only been flown at 40 ft however.
So if you are still interested, here's a summary of the bid process. It's a "Private Auction" hosted by eBay. You need to be pre-approved prior to posting a bid. And here's a big caveat: sale of the Skycar prototype is subject to approval under ITAR. That is the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Moller believes the Skycar to be a Category VIII aircraft, which makes it subject to military restrictions as well. Therefore, if you are the winning bidder, you need to prove you are who you say you are, and after a background check, Moller International will obtain the required permits and legal authorization to transfer ownership of the Skycar over to you. Still with us? Well, there is also a warning that customs, shipping and import fees could run you another 25 grand. But Moller will reimburse you with valid receipts. Sounds like the perfect holiday treat for the person who has everything. Bidding is currently at $2,000,001 with about six days left to go.
[Source: Moller]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Gil 2:15PM (10/13/2006)
Why sell the prototype and not go into productions if it works... oh right... it doesn't.
I would LOVE one of these but Moller hasn't actually proven that it works EVER!
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menice 2:25PM (10/13/2006)
I had one of these back in high school. Good investment. someone here should snatch this up.
Milage is a killer, but we used to have a blast floating around ... until we chopped up that flock of crows, what a mess the old neighborhood was.
maybe i'll buy back one of my old favorite:) and bid.
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Graham 2:58PM (10/13/2006)
The questions section of the auction is pure comedy gold.
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Corey W. 3:00PM (10/13/2006)
Huh? Do you know what working, approved aircraft you can get for $4M?!?!? I'd get me a used private jet and call it a day...
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RocketPunch 3:08PM (10/13/2006)
Right from the get go, I knew this thing will never..hmmm..take off.
A) A flying car = A flying car bomb. The government will never ok it.
B) People are already screaming for help when they only have to pay $3 a gallon. You will be lucky if you get 1 mile to a gallon on this thing.
c) This a lawsuit waiting to happen in America, where you can sue a piece of 5hit because it is brown.
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DPC car videos 3:11PM (10/13/2006)
Jay Leno should look into this.
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thesawzall 3:19PM (10/13/2006)
Saw this thing in Popular Mechanics around '90. I never would have guessed that you'd be able to buy a flight in a spaceship before this thing became viable.
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David 4:25PM (10/13/2006)
God, the Q&A section of the Auction made me laugh out loud so many times I lost track. I don't know what's funnier, the ridiculous questions ("Does it come in black? It would be wicked in black" . . . "Can it be retrofitted to roll on 20s?" . . . "What's the max towing weight?") or the fact that there is someone patiently answering EVERY ridiculous question.
I like Moller, and I think the guy is way ahead of his time, but this auction isn't helping the public image . . .
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ChaoZ 4:03PM (10/13/2006)
I wrote a short report on this flying car back in elementary school. I distinctly remember writing that this car will be available by 1999. I was really excited, but then again, I was probably only 10 years old at the time.
Now, when the heck can I get a hover conversion for my DeLorean? :)
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Derrick 5:35PM (10/13/2006)
I just saw a video of this thing flying (well actually hovering) on youtube, check out this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7UyspBr0-8&mode=related&search=
I'm no pilot, but it looks extremely difficult to fly. You'd have to have a PhD just to start the thing. I applaud the designer/inventor for what looks like a very complicated feat. However, not sure how practical a vehicle this is. Whoever made this thing put a lot of time and money into it.
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Kiiks 4:39AM (10/16/2006)
I live in Davis, CA. Definitely have never seen it around... We do have a street-legal Radio Flyer (think little red wagon) that drives around from time to time.
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Spanner 5:15AM (10/14/2006)
What a bloody joke...
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Boss Mustang 3:12PM (10/14/2006)
I doubt Jay Leno would be interested in this because he likes to actually drive his vehicles.
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Eric 11:26PM (10/14/2006)
Some of you people are so stupid you shouldnt post comments.
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Hardly A Believer 10:57AM (10/23/2006)
This thing is flying with the old 530 cc single rotor engines, pretty much straight out of the 1907's OMC snowmobile. It also only carries 8 gal of gas, and no pilot. Thats 6 min of hover, minus warmup time for the engines. Oh, and there's no true redundancy, two computers and sensor sets doesn't do it. There are no redundant throttle actuators, just for starters. Also, none of the electronics are real man-rated stuff. This is the worlds longest running vaporware company. See here for yourselves what they were saying in 1974.
http://downside.com/scams/moller/index.html
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watchdoggy2 12:19AM (10/24/2006)
Yep I liked the Q&A too on the ebay (not) auction, I almost peed myself. I do believe the people have become enlightened about the whole thing-its all about getting moooore money and nothing else. Hey how long does it take to get an MBA anyway? Thats why it became a JOKE.
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not impressed 12:29AM (10/24/2006)
Hey, anybody go to the stockholders meeting? I am curious what excuse they gave this year, and did they ask for more money?
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Watch Dog 3:34PM (3/16/2007)
Yes, I went to this years stockholders meeting. Again a big joke, they had a shill in the audience that requested to see a video and comment how good he looked for his age, Thats what a good facelift can do and ohh the almond butter too. I think he was a bit embarrased-nothing has changed for the last three years. But thats not what there leading you to believe, the SEC was completely correct about misleadind stockholders to get more money and the Davis Wiki site hits it dead on(investment scam)!
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exemployee 2:18AM (3/18/2007)
Yep- Worked there for years, was promissed retirement etc. The only people gaining from this are him and his kids-they just take the investment money and spend as they please-its all a scam, but they do use some of the money to travel and ship the non-functional model to shows to get more investment though.The SEC should have closed him up instead of just fining him. Even his own daughter is saying she is in school for an MBA (on there web site)-what a joke, but she can get a healthy salery for it-from all the investors it seems!
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stockholdernothappy 2:34AM (3/18/2007)
My stock is now worth .34 cents a share-he sold his personel shares for $4-$5 dollars apiece a while back
what a racket- I think I will ask if he will buy my stock back for what I paid for it-He scamed me too!
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