Although it seems like every second story in aviation publications is about some variant of a flying car there is actually only one flying car in the world and it will be up for auction, with no reserve, in January. The 1954 Taylor Aerocar will go on the block at Barrett Jackson’s Scottsdale auction Jan. 11-19 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The, uh, vehicle is owned by Greg Herrick’s Golden Wings Flying Museum in Minnesota and is the only one certified for both the road and the air. It was one of six made and has been maintained in airworthy and roadworthy condition.
Herrick has been trying to sell the Aerocar since at least 2012 when he was looking for $1.25 million. More recently he’s been trying to get $895,000. The Aerocar has about 16,000 road miles on it and more than 700 hours of air time. It is powered by a Lycoming 0-320 that is hooked to a three-speed front drive transmission for the road and a tail-mounted prop in the air. The wings and empennage are towed behind the tiny car body for the trip to the airport.
Even Bob Cummings couldn’t sell very many of these interesting aircraft.
Still probably the best not-half-bad solution to the problem of getting driveway-to-driveway when you really wanted to fly.
I talked to the owner (Not sure it was the same one) when he was at a local airport years ago. Asked him how it flies. He replied, “Like a car.”
There is no need to sell it.
The owner just needs to announce a project to convert it to electric power as an urban mobility project and tens of millions of public dollars (and well wishes & publicity) will flow his way. He’s sitting on a gold mine!
Yep, you are right Mark, just as likely to be a success as equipping a Beaver sea plane with electric power. Two things seem apparent, first all the talk about dumbing down society through our public schools is apparently true, and second, there is clearly too much wealth floating around as witnessed by such stunts and also what people will buy and pay for at auctions like Barrett Jackson.
“There is no need to sell it.
The owner just needs to announce a project to convert it to electric power as an urban mobility project and tens of millions of public dollars (and well wishes & publicity) will flow his way. He’s sitting on a gold mine!”
Mark that is so funny but may be true….
Elon Musk outta be front row and center at the Barrett-Jackson sale. Molt Taylor already did all the hard work getting a type certificate. This airplane has 700 hours on it not 7 minutes… having a proven 16K drive train and 700 hour air-frame. Just add electricity! Voila, “green flying car”. Now that’s a real “tufor” deal. All Elon has to do is get a field approval and find an airport with an outside plug. I dig the arm out the window aerial cruising look. Retro-cool!