Scaled Composites Model 367 BiPod: Rutan's last design revealed

[Stargazer]

The Model 367 BiPod is a two-seat, hybrid-electric roadable aircraft. Originally conceived as a rapid, low-cost electric testbed, the effort evolved into a flying car and was accelerated to allow Rutan, a long-time advocate of personal electric aircraft, to see the vehicle completed before his retirement.


Sources:

- Aviation Week (full article)
- Aviation Week (shorter article with pictures)

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Well Burt's certainly not lost his ability to surprise. I don't think many people would have guessed it was a twin-fuselage hybrid-powered flying car!

It'll be interesting to see if anything comes of it, but hard for me to see who'd want to develop it into a product.

 

[LowObservable]

The missed point here is the reason for buying exotic two-seat cars in the first place:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/motoring/features/jaguar-etype-525807.html

What is the use of a crumpet-catcher if there's two layers of graphite-epoxy between you and the crumpet?

 

[Orionblamblam]

What is the use of a crumpet-catcher if there's two layers of graphite-epoxy between you and the crumpet?

"Crumpets" are "English food." I've had English food. In general, you typically want rather more than just two layers of graphite epoxy between yourself and English food. Better still, a brick wall and a couple hundred yards of rapidly-increasing distance. In fact, a flying car might be just the thing.

As the man said, "Oh, God! My tract!"

 

[LowObservable]

Crumpet has at least two meanings.

One is a baked product not unlike what is referred to in the Rebellious Colonies as "an English muffin".

The other is what the E-Type (XK-E to you Philistines) was intended to catch.

 

[Mike Pryce]

Yeah baby!


Seems Rutan has built a 'crumpet' catcher for the 21st Century. The separation into pods means maximum, non-negotiable, graphite epoxy protection for occupants (latex is so 20th Century). And note it is a 'Bi' Pod - so it's fit for picking up whichever gender of crumpet is your cup of tea!


As for the much derided English food, let's remember they invented/popularised/exported (delete according to own views) the most common food eaten in America:


http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/SandwichHistory.htm

 

[Silencer1]

Hi!

This Rutan' design is really nice! Althought - there is a prototype of it, and well-known from Star Wars!

From other hand, this Bespin's vehicle just fly, and couldn't be driven on the roads...

 

[Orionblamblam]

One is a baked product not unlike what is referred to in the Rebellious Colonies as "an English muffin".

Tauron? Geminon?

The other is what the E-Type (XK-E to you Philistines) was intended to catch.

Ah. "Crumpet" = "speeding ticket."

 

[Sundog]

As an airplane, it looks kind of cool, if you're into warbirds and can't afford a rebuilt F-82. As for a roadable airplane/car, that's always been a dumb idea. Give it folding wings and make it easily loadable on a trailer and that will be good enough for most aviators.

The only vehicle I've seen come close to being a flying car, even though it will be expensive, is a manned version of the Mule being developed in Israel. I know they have that emergency rescue variant of it. Now that would be a flying car.

 

[unclejim]

I like it.

 

[Grey Havoc]

The other is what the E-Type (XK-E to you Philistines) was intended to catch.

Ah. "Crumpet" = "speeding ticket."

I think you just insulted every woman in the British Isles. ;D

 

[chuck4]

Appearently Rutan is not one for fun in the backseat.

 

[ouroboros]

It's certainly an interesting endorsement for hybrid electric distributed propulsion of the distinctly non-superconductor variety. Though not one of those extreme examples of lining the entire wing with small ducted electric fans.

 

[Orionblamblam]

I think you just insulted every woman in the British Isles. ;D

Suddenly relevant:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14201796

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rKYL0tW-Ek

 

[Orionblamblam]

Though not one of those extreme examples of lining the entire wing with small ducted electric fans.

You really wouldn't want to do that, for several reasons:
1: Four big, discrete propellors are easy to clean, compared to a hundred little ones.
2: A hundred small electric motors probably aren't as energy efficient as four big ones
3: A hundred little propellors *certainly* aren't as efficient as four big ones

 

[Stargazer]

Suddenly relevant:

But then again, the Monty Python are ALWAYS relevant!! ;D

Thanks for the great link.

 

[Stargazer]

Hard not to see in the BiPod some design inspiration from Italian engineer Taruffi's Tarf 500 twin-fuselage race car which set some records in 1948...

 

[dannydale]

Put wings on and 'spittin' image' comes to mind. Also, God bless all my French teachers I had through school!

 

[flateric]

...

 

[Orionblamblam]

...

For what it's worth, image perspective corrected.

 

[rooster]

Another useless Burt Rutan creation.... I swear the guy just does stuff to get on the cover of PopSci

His road able car would last about 8 miles in Michigan before cracking in half

 

[riggerrob]

Another useless Burt Rutan creation.... I swear the guy just does stuff to get on the cover of PopSci

His road able car would last about 8 miles in Michigan before cracking in half

Are you implying that Michigan roads are rough?

 

[Orionblamblam]

Another useless Burt Rutan creation.... I swear the guy just does stuff to get on the cover of PopSci

His road able car would last about 8 miles in Michigan before cracking in half

While that may well be true... so what? It breaks, you fix it. Figure out the problem, engineer it better. Spend a few years doing that and you end up with a quality product.

A roadable airplane or a flying car is sure to be a terrible compromise, good at neither, bad at both. The only way to make it good at both is to suck it up and iteratively engineer. Possibly over decades.