The Skycar is a combination parasail, swamp boat and dune buggy. Sponsored by a British knight and arctic adventurer, the design team is planning an expedition from London to Timbuktu in January of 2009.
"Whereas convertible car makers take about how quickly their vehicles can go from sunny exposure to rainy-day protection, Skycar designers like Gilo Cardozo tell us that conversion from "road mode" to "fly mode" and visa-versa will take three minutes.
To showcase the Skycar's potential, the Skycar Expedition Team is planning a January 2009 flight/drive from London to Timbuktu, a distance of over 6000km (3700 miles). The car uses a lightweight ParaWing that is filled by a huge fan built into the back of the vehicle to achieve theoretical airspeeds of 100 mph. Two people can fit into the steel or aluminum chassis and cruise along at 2,000-3,000 feet. The Times Online says that the Skycar is certified for road use and can burn ethanol in its modified 140bhp Yamaha R1 engine."
FULL STORY: Biofueled Skycar 2009 Expedition
Industry Leaders: Automakers Must Cut EV Battery Weight in Half
Experts call for lighter batteries, diversification of fuels, and a shift away from private cars and towrad public transit.
Former Landfill Doubles as Public Park, Energy Producer
Once the world’s largest dump, Freshkills Park now offers new city park space and powers local households with biofuel.
The Big Divide Between Big and Little Oil on the New Climate-Energy Law
President Joe Biden signed what he called “one of the most significant laws in our history” last Tuesday. The energy provisions in the law that benefit oil and gas extraction exposed different perspectives within the industry on the law.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Median Home Prices Top $1 Million in Over 200 California Towns
Towns once known for their affordability are seeing sharply rising home prices.
LA County Receives Reconnecting Communities Grants
Seven grant awards totaling $162 million will be used for planning, capital projects, and regional partnerships to reduce environmental harm and improve access in disadvantaged communities.
Seine Pollution Could Hinder Olympic Swim Events
Events like the triathlon could be impacted if tests continue to reveal high levels of dangerous bacteria in Paris’ famous river.
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
City of Cleburne
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
