AIRVENTURE KICKS OFF WITH FLYING CARS DEMO
25 Jul 2011
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Police escort for flying cars on Oshkosh road demo.
THE annual EAA AirVenture kicked off at Oshkosh, USA today with a demo of flying cars old and new. As arrivals for the biggest aviation event in the world flew in overhead, four road legal and flight approved vehicles drove a few miles from Oshkosh Airport to a 1950s style diner for a lunchtime rendezvous.
In the lead was the only airworthy 1956 AEROCAR being driven by its owner, Ed Sweeney, towing a purpose built trailer with its tailplane and wings. Behind it were three of the latest Maverick sky cars, looking more like hot rods than aircraft. They use a wing like a powered parachute for lift when flying.
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With both the latest creation from Burt Rutan, and the experimental Terrafugia also expected to be at AirVenture when it opens to the public tomorrow (Monday), flying cars are in the news again. In fact, Ed Sweeney, who has owned the AEROCAR since 1988 when he restored it to airworthy condition, is also working on a modern version using an electric powered Lotus Elise as the base car.
The demo proved highly popular at the venue, Ardy & Ed's Drive-In restaurant, when Ed and Maverick boss Steve Saint went in deep conversation comparing their two creations.
So far Maverick has produced five of its buggy-like car, each with a canvas top half over a steel tube frame, and it has been driven all the way from Florida to prove its road capability. The company says it is really aimed at off-road users rather than conventional airport operations.
LINKS
Maverick Sky Car
AEROCAR
1956 AEROCAR at Ardy & Ed's Drive-In diner at Oshkosh, USA.
AEROCAR owner Ed Sweeney, left, and Steve Saint of Maverick.
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