Would you ever build your own flying saucer?

@shywolf (4514)
United States
January 23, 2007 6:36pm CST
Apparently, a fellow in the UK has spent thirty years of his life (and 30,000 pounds) building his own flying saucer. Wow! But he doesn't want to fly into space. What he wants to do is replace traditional automobiles with flying cars, like on the Jetson's cartoons. Wouldn't that be cool? Have you ever spent your own money to build something that you loved and couldn't buy in a store? Have you ever dreamed of building or riding in a flying car? Feel free to answer any of my questions, or just give your thoughts on this story! ^_^ You can read more here: http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2170126.html?menu=
9 people like this
32 responses
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
24 Jan 07
I guess they give the money in pounds because it is a UK newpaper? But the guy is actually from Clinton, Michigan and he is building it in his garage. Wow! Even NASA wanted to meet him and they fear that the thing will rip apart when he goes to power it up to sped. So, if we ever hear about an explosion in Michigan from a guy starting up his invention, we will know that the invention failed. I just hope two things. 1. The invention will not fail after how much time and money he has spent. And 2. That if it does fail, that no one will get hurt! Maybe the Mythbusters should get involved. They are all about safety and figuring out if a method will work or not. :)
1 person likes this
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
24 Jan 07
I know exactly what you mean! I have done the same thing. Posted something and then Oops! Crap! I can't change it now! *sigh* I figured because it was an honest mistake. :) I hope you are not offended by me saying something. I just thought the article was cool and what stuck out in my mind was...if Michigan blows up...we will know why! LOL Not that it's funny of Michigan blows up! But I guess they wouldn't look like a hand anymore! ha ha
1 person likes this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
24 Jan 07
Oh no no, I wasn't offended at all! i was glad that you posted about it, because I'd meant to say something as soon as someone replied anyway (so that I would have somewhere to correct myself, lol) and I hadn't gotten around to it yet. I agree, but I really hope that Michigan doesn't blow up because I have several friends (abeit ones I haven't talked to in a long time - but still, they probably still live there! *laugh*) who live there! LOL ^_^
1 person likes this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
24 Jan 07
I know, I really made a big error when I put the UK part. I swore that I had read the story carefully, but when I saw that pound sign, that was what stuck in my mind when i was trying to write about the story. You're right, the guy is in Michigan. Oops! I felt so silly after I posted. Talk about another time when I wish that Mylot felt able to let us have an edit function for our posts, lol! ^_^
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
24 Jan 07
Wow! What fun! We could all act like kids again. I used to just love the jetsons. Seriously though, I have never dreamed of flying in a car. I am afraid of heights. LOL
1 person likes this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
24 Jan 07
I have a sort of fear of heights, too, but it's more like a fear of falling from them. *laugh* So I would be okay in a flying car, as long as I felt safe. I would really love to whiz around in a flying car one day! ^_^
1 person likes this
• India
24 Jan 07
wow!!a flying car!!i have always dreamt of something like that, ever since i was old enough to walk.. i think we could all do with one of those..plus you would save time commuting;D
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
24 Jan 07
I have always been impressed with that level of dedication, but I doubt if he has a hope of seeing his dream come true. There are just too many factors spanning a vast array of subjects for one person to accomplish, and the only chance of success would be for a specialist team to be involved. He is almost certain to appear a fool when the system fails to work. Although in years to come when some of his ideas are incorporated into a working model then he may be accredited with his share of the work and of having introduced a new concept.
1 person likes this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
24 Jan 07
I have to admit, too, that the guy sure is dedicated. I mean, to spend 30 years of his life on something that I seriously doubt is going to work, even after all of the time and money that he has invested? He must totally believe in what he's doing, even though it sounds like no one else does! *laugh* My gosh.
@troopy (168)
• Australia
24 Jan 07
I think it would be cool,not sure bout the price of fuel though, can barely afford to run the car now. lol But the idea of being able to fly to some secluded beach and set up for fishing and camping for the night in a area you wouldnt normally be able to reach would be unreal. Hope it happens in my life time.
1 person likes this
• Pakistan
24 Jan 07
thsi is a very interesting topic for me as i am related to ar craft and stuff.I had a craze to fly air cafts and see how they flies secially fighter ones.As i am already surving in Air Force so i donot need to spend money for flying.. even they pay me for flying so i thin its kool haan
• Canada
24 Jan 07
I think that the spaceship was the result of a wild imagination. That is sometimes the kind of people it takes to come up with the things that we really need in our society, becuase nobody else would come up with the ideas. Even 30 years ago it was amazing concept to build anything that flew by itslef, not to even think of consider it to be the future for society.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
24 Jan 07
I love it. I would like to build my house that looks like flying saucer. All round made of steel and alot of round windows. I wouldn,t have to install windows treatment, all glass will have special coat that absorbs solar energy and is frosty. I am working on my models. Back to the future:)
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jan 07
Not too far from here we had a gas station that was literally in the shape of a UFO (flying saucer). The lights around it would blink. It was pretty cool as a kid! LOL Unfortunately as years went by, not sure why it ever was erected anyways, but it lost its charm to the small town it was in and has since been left to just more or less fall apart. I haven't been in that area in a while so I'm not sure if it still is around.
• United States
24 Jan 07
I think some of the ufo footage we see is man made. There are probably very rich people who just like us, like a good gag. I know that there are people out there who try to build their own spacecaft. Infact one guy was on David Letteman. He bought most of the parts from nasa and russia. There used to be a multimillion dollar contest to see who could be the first private citizen in space, but I forget who was runing it. Most people don't know realize what others are up too until it is on the news, so trust me, There are lots of guys working on flying cars, and eventually, most people will travel that way.
@pinkeagle (202)
• United States
24 Jan 07
There already exists a flying car. It is not a flying saucer, but an actual aircraft intended to be a family aircraft parked in your garage at your home. The problem with this concept is the amount of accidents which would occur if everyone was just zipping around in any direction whenever they felt like it. It would be a slaughter. Before this invention can be utilized fully, computers are going to have to establish virtual pathways for them in the air and have onboard computers control the vehical. This is further away than the vehical being finished. You can see the protoype and read about this at: http://www.moller.com
1 person likes this
@ananth85 (209)
• India
24 Jan 07
Yes!! I always dreamt of building a flying saucer, to fly across the space and explore the space, to befriend aliens and so on... Just before i saw this, i was thinking of a space craft, how could it be built as quickly as possible with all features, so that i could atleast see it in a lifetime. I`m always interested in such things like space travel. Well, keep that aside. I have also dreamt of riding a flying car many times!! What a coincidence!!. But, in my dreams, i travelled through space with an open window car. It was an amusing adventure in my dream. I really could see the speed at which i was taken to a distant unknown location. Wow!, it`s a pleasure to even think of it. Seemed like a Time-Wrap. I also did built a small motor for myself about (1cm x 1cm x 2cm). It was fun to build. I had to wind copper coil slowly, using my engineering calculations... It also worked fine.. some 1000rpm. :-)
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jan 07
I would definitely like to build my own flying saucer. But I wouldn't want to spend that much money on it. In fact, I have this idea about electromagnetic propulsion...
• Uzbekistan
24 Jan 07
would it be efficient as far as fuel goes??
1 person likes this
• Uzbekistan
24 Jan 07
does...it work? hahah how weird is that! how much money is that in us dollars?
1 person likes this
@ironmike (26)
24 Jan 07
Hi There, If i had the means i would build a saucer..I would then use it to fly aroung the world and take my girl friend to all the awsome island on the planet. Wait if i had a saucer i would rather go to the and visit another galaxcy and try and chat up one of the ladies there.. Jokes. have a good day. Kind Regards, Ironmike
@mzbubblie (3839)
• United States
24 Jan 07
Hmmm...interesting...Well he has a very creative mind that's for sure. But, I don't know if I wanted to see people in flying cars...I'm creative but not that creative to build something...
@bikaner (58)
• India
24 Jan 07
I have been successful in making a small biscuit making plant some 33 years ago & at that time it was the requirement of my family business. The expenditure on it was very little which too was managed with great difficulty.
• Pakistan
24 Jan 07
i tried but not succeed
@gurubhai (79)
• India
24 Jan 07
I think i have seen that thing on the TV which u r talking abt and i m really very amused by this concept ,i always wanted to fly ,i wanted to be a pilot since from my childhood days ,so i really do get interested in stories like this ,hope so that he manages to build one and that comes into mass production and i earn enough money from mylot to buy that machine.LOL
• United States
24 Jan 07
I could launch something the size of new york into space with my cold fusion design, but nobody want's to fund my project because they think I might make a whole in the earth the size of australia. They told me to just think about smaller project's until they build a major docking station in space *so then I don't destroy the entire planet*, so as for the guy's saucer idea, he's got something wrong. It's not the speed the plate's are rottating that will make it fly it depend's on how powerful the magnet's are. Conclusion to his invention activation, blood everywhere, people with their head's chopped off. 0_0 sad, but the likeliest possibilitie.
@tinam13 (839)
• United States
26 Feb 07
ok...i hate the thought flying cars, saucers or whatever flying me in the air. i really really hope this will never be true.