Subaru Working On A Flying Motorcycle

[p1l0t]

Subaru Working On A Flying Motorcycle

Subaru Corporation has filed for a U.S. patent for a “land-and-air vehicle”—a tilt-rotor/motorcycle. And the application wasn’t dated April 1.

Drawings show a heavily faired gas engine-powered motorcycle with conventional throttle, clutch and front-brake controls on its handlebars. It also shows a piggyback airframe component with a pair of wings folded back against the side of the fuselage, each with a propeller driven by five electric motors. The motorcycle engine can be run during flight to charge the battery for the electric motors. As with the V-22 Osprey, the wings and propellers remain vertical for takeoff and landing, but both tilt forward to horizontal for cruise. The handlebar has a secondary throttle lever at the end of the right grip to control propeller speed. The empennage appears to be that of a conventional airplane, but with a vertically oriented rotor for takeoff and landing in rotorcraft configuration.

The land-and-air vehicle will have ECU 101 sensors in the flight mode that enable manual, assisted or fully automated flight. For manual control, the application says the ECU 101-driven control system “may be configured to … behave similarly … during ground traveling and during flight.”

The inventors are listed as Daisuke Hirabayashi, Yoshiyuki Matsumoto and Takumi Ishikawa. The application was filed in May last year, but not published until early March by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. No word yet on any plans to market the Subaru project.

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[Lantanafrs2]

You wouldn't want to throw a pcode on that

[gen3v8]

Small wings I can only imagine how much air speed it would need for forward flight. Transitioning To and from FF would be exciting.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Lantanafrs2

You wouldn't want to throw a pcode on that

Or kick out a rocker arm.

[Lantanafrs2]

Originally Posted by beltax90

cant wait for the gr version!

Half of us wont like the styling

[p1l0t]

Originally Posted by gen3v8

Small wings I can only imagine how much air speed it would need for forward flight. Transitioning To and from FF would be exciting.

Good thing it's a crotch rocket to begin with!


(as a pilot though seriously good point about the tiny wings..)

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[Lantanafrs2]

Originally Posted by gen3v8

Small wings I can only imagine how much air speed it would need for forward flight. Transitioning To and from FF would be exciting.

Torque dip would be an issue. Especially if you're racing with a flying minivan

[Sapphireho]

Wow, someone designed a bad airplane.

[Sasquachulator]

Originally Posted by Lantanafrs2

Torque dip would be an issue. Especially if you're racing with a flying minivan

so you fly upwards, then dip down a bit in the torque dip, and then you continue to fly upwards again before hitting a height limit?

And the flying minivan will just fly straight upwards?

[Lantanafrs2]

Originally Posted by Sasquachulator

so you fly upwards, then dip down a bit in the torque dip, and then you continue to fly upwards again before hitting a height limit?

And the flying minivan will just fly straight upwards?

A good pilot just downshifts! The dip is there for a reason!

[gen3v8]

NO DER! You just fly on the back of the drag curve

[Captain Snooze]

Does this mean we need a General Aviation Discussions thread?

[Tcoat]

Best Car says they have confirmed insider information that this will be available by fall!

[The Red One]

As in FALL from the sky?

My search gives me April 1st as the first report on this wonder vehicle.