flying cars

Fire up the flying car & go see this hovercraft exhibit

Technology, ,


The promise of flying cars for everyone hasn’t quite materialized, but the Washington State History Museum‘s newest exhibition reminds us that a unique hovercraft, or air-cushion vehicle (ACV) was invented by amateur engineer and Washington resident, Walter A. Crowley, in 1958.

Back then, the AeroGo company’s futuristic vehicle was called the Terra Skipper. It had a 10-horsepower engine, could hover over land or water and could move at speeds up to 30 mph using air casters to lift it off the ground and a rear fan for thrust and steering.

As the Smithsonian Institution explains, the concept of using an air cushion to travel with minimal friction over water and other level surfaces dates back to the eighteenth century. But Crowley invented the first air-cushion vehicle in the United States.

Personal hovercrafts never became a thing. But the technology is used today for aerospace engineering, aeronautics, by the U.S. Marines and others.

We’re looking forward to learning more when the Hovercraft exhibit opens at the Washington State History Museum. Exhibition dates are June 3, 2025 through March 8, 2026.

Here’s the Crowley Hydro-Air vehicle now in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution.

Hovercraft image Courtesy Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Here’s another ‘space-age’ invention that hails from Washington State. The Aerocar, first designed and built by Moulton Taylor in 1949.

A version of the car can be seen today at Seattle’s Museum of Flight.

Aerocar photo by Cortney Kelley, from 111 Places in Seattle That You Must Not Miss

Why don’t we all own flying cars?

Airplanes, , ,

Cars. Airplanes. Both are great ways to get around.

But wouldn’t it be great if the two were put together so the same vehicle could get you where you needed to go no matter what the traffic conditions?

Lots of people have been working on making that dream of flying cars – or roadable aircraft – a reality.

But we’re not there quite yet.

These short videos about Robert Fulton Jr.’s Airphibian – on display at the Smitshsonian National Air & SpaceMuseum; Moulton’s Taylor’s Aerocar – see one at Seattle’s Museum of Flight – and the this-could-be-yours for just $98,000 Jetson One – (a nod to flying car in The Jetsons cartoon show) – prove that it could happen.

What would make your trip to the airport more fun?

Airplanes, Airports, , ,

(Early flying car – the Aerocar)

I’m excited, honored – and a bit nervous – about being a moderator for several sessions during Monday’s Passenger Experience Conference in Hamburg, Germany.

The topics my presenters will be tackling in the Covergence and Mobility stream range from how mobile technology might better (or ever) tie together the many ways we now have to travel through the world (bikes, taxis, car share, trains, planes, etc…) to how – and when – we might eat or do other things along the way.

I’ll be sharing notes, pictures and musings here and on Twitter (@hbaskas) about these presentations and the new and exciting products and ideas that are presented throughout the week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo and several related events being held in Hamburg this week.

Standy by and please feel free to send your questions to me here – or via Twitter (@hbaskas) – about what’s in store for getting to and from airports and for flying on airplanes.