OK. So we've gotten really good at moving an object quickly on four wheels - we've even installed hydraulic winglets on a car's exterior shell for better aerodynamics. But what about the ability to fly? Has that notion been forgotten?
Not exactly. As it turns out, we've been at it for quite some time, thanks to a few brave engineers who looked towards the sky rather than at roads. The following 10 'flying cars' aren't the type we got used to in comic books and sci-fi films; they don't have anti-gravity thrusters, fancy glass domes or special gull-wing doors. They are, in fact, powered by conventional means of modern flight, such as jet-engines, turbo-props or electric-powered air fans.
AVE Mizar
(1971-1973) AVE Mizar
The brainchild of engineer Henry Smolinski, the ‘Mizar’ was a strange mix between a Ford Pinto and the airframe of a Cessna 337 (which could be bolted on and off). Just like previous concepts, the Pinto’s motor powered the Mizar both on the road and in flight. Unfortunately, Smolinski’s dream of affordable flight came to a tragic end in 1973, when the prototype Mizar (carrying Smolinski and his associate) crashed during a test flight, killing both of them. Following the crash, investigators said the Mizar’s right wing strut reportedly failed due to poor welding and excess weight of the Pinto, causing the car to break away and plummet to the ground.
