The last Sky Commuter concept craft hits eBay

Oh, what a tease! This here Sky Commuter prototype is the last remaining example of what could have been: after the company failed in the late 80's and the plant was shut down, all other prototypes of this personal commuter craft were destroyed. The vehicle is registered with the FAA as a "VTOL" (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, but the prototype can only hover to about 10 feet before losing stability. It's going for $62,600, a virtual bargain, but you'd better move fast -- the auction ends in an hour.

[Thanks, Ryan K and nvyseal]

[Rainier @ Jan 14th 2008 10:34AM]

Cue James Bond Theme music.

[Jeebus @ Jan 14th 2008 12:34PM]

You mean queue?


(I'm kidding, I'm kidding..)

[JC @ Jan 14th 2008 2:28PM]

Actually, no. It IS "cue". Just like an actor gets cued for their line in a movie, you cue the music in a soundtrack as well.

A queue is a lineup.

[JSC @ Jan 14th 2008 10:45AM]

Looks like it will go for over 100K in a heart beat...

[Richard @ Jan 14th 2008 10:51AM]

I should by this... At 10 feet I could fly over a number of cars during those Beltway traffic jams.

[SteveMB @ Jan 14th 2008 2:21PM]

And then you'd drop down on a number of cars during those Beltway traffic jams.

[Ed @ Jan 14th 2008 9:36PM]

I can see you soaring over the traffic and then smacking into the back of a truck that's 12 feet tall.

[Richard @ Jan 14th 2008 10:52AM]

I suppose "buy" would be more appropriate.

[JSC @ Jan 14th 2008 10:53AM]

US $131,700.00

[aeo @ Jan 14th 2008 11:00AM]

This looks like a great investment for the suicidal depressant. Exhilaration for about 10 seconds and then peace...

[Sporkinum @ Jan 14th 2008 11:05AM]

I sure as hell wouldn't buy anything from someone who can't type.

"All aircraft materials and built by the finest."
Finest what? Clowns? Chinese? Politicians?

"The ship is made of the same advanced composite materials as The Gossamer Cotidor and The Vovager."
Cotidor???
Vovager???

[nickels @ Jan 14th 2008 11:08AM]

it appears he can type, just not very specific

[Derwin @ Jan 14th 2008 11:12AM]

Clearly, this plane was built by Chinese clown politicians.

[Salim @ Jan 14th 2008 1:12PM]

Isn't this redundant, aren't all politicians clowns??

[MichaelD @ Jan 14th 2008 2:22PM]

I assume Vovager means Voyager, but does it mean before or after Voyager was outfitted with Borg technology? I sure wouldn't want to get stranded in the Delta Quadrant in THIS thing.

In all seriousness, does it lose stability at ten feet or only if you try going higher? Because if I could fly this around at 8 feet off the ground, and I had $131k to spare, this could be a lot of fun. But if the motors can only last a limited time (the time it takes to get to 10 feet) this could be very dangerous.

[Simply_J @ Jan 14th 2008 2:21PM]

Meh. I'd rather have a personal blimp. Sure they only go 10mph but that's still 10mph faster than gridlocked traffic.

personalblimp.com

[rcappo @ Jan 14th 2008 11:23AM]

I wonder what this would do with modern computers and fly-by-wire technology.

And 10 feet might be cutting it a little close to the semis. And you better watch out for the overpasses and power lines. 50-100 feet would be the best.

[randy @ Jan 14th 2008 11:31AM]

Give it to a terrorist.

[Daniel @ Jan 14th 2008 1:47PM]

they might crash it into a small two story building.

[Tim @ Jan 14th 2008 12:16PM]

Looks cool but I bet it is deafening inside its cabin.

[Joe Anstine @ Jan 14th 2008 12:18PM]

thats pretty crazy; wonder why he didn't just keep and put larger motors in it so that it might be able to actually fly.

[shecks @ Jan 14th 2008 1:02PM]

Richard, as your flying over the beltway, don't forget to look in your rear view mirror for the Pentagons heat sink missle.

[Rocketboy @ Jan 14th 2008 2:29PM]

LOOK OUT! IT'S A SINK!!!

**KABOOM!**

[JC @ Jan 14th 2008 2:30PM]

Awesome, didn't know we had heat sink missiles. Is it a projectile that absorbs and dissipates heat?

Or did you mean heat seeking?

[deedeedee @ Jan 14th 2008 12:47PM]

10 feet above the ground? how skinny do you have to be to achieve that height?

[sinerasis @ Jan 14th 2008 12:58PM]

Ghostride the whip...

[daniel @ Jan 14th 2008 1:47PM]

you would need a ladder to get back in.. but essentially i guess you could... walk under it while ghost ridin

[Rocketboy @ Jan 14th 2008 2:30PM]

Large Motors = More Weight which causes you to need Larger Motors.

[KC @ Jan 14th 2008 3:48PM]

That's a rather expensive, if not a great leafblower.

I wonder how many miles per gallon you'd get out of it.

[Johan @ Jan 14th 2008 5:34PM]

The lucky buyer of this $131,700 "aircraft" also won an auction for a $18 bottle of schampoo...

[jbcaro @ Jan 14th 2008 8:49PM]

Just strap a Segway to the bottom of it, wire it up, and the stability problems will be fixed.