[extropy-chat] AIRCAR: Boeing X-50 offers cheap alternative

[BillK]

On Sat, 6 Dec 2003 21:14:38 -0800 (PST) Mike Lorrey wrote:
> 
> http://www.boeing.com/phantom/crw.html
> 
> I think that Boeing's Canard Rotor Wing test aircraft, the X-50
> Dragonfly, promises personal air-car capabilities sooner than Moller or
> Bell/Augusta.
>

Neat design! But at present it is a military, unmanned testbed only.

"Under an agreement with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,
Boeing will build and flight test two unmanned technology demonstrators
to assess and validate this advanced rotorcraft concept".

Apparently Boeing hope to develop manned versions for the military in
the future.

"Although the CRW demonstrator vehicles are UAVs, the potential exists
for development of both manned and unmanned versions of the vehicle.
Missions for such a vehicle include reconnaissance, armed escort,
tactical air support, communications/data relay and logistics resupply".

How many of the military X-series technology test machines made it
through to a general public version? Not many. And if they get any
really good results, they will probably be kept secret for years.

So, considering that they only just began flight testing (tethered
hover) this summer, a general public, air-car type version is many years
away, if ever.

BillK