riiiigth....

[svandamme]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/M400X-Skycar-VTOL-Prototype-Aircraft_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ26428QQihZ015Q QitemZ250036057352QQrdZ1QQsspa#ebayphotohosting






quite impressive, a 1.7 million bid so far
on an auction with just one tiny little picture of a vtol flying RC car/plane......(you would think for some real big auction , the seller would at least put in some effort , no ? )

is it just me , or is this just a bit daft?
i mean, for 1.7 mill , i'm sure one could build one himself right?

this thing is not certified by the FAA or anything really... not insured, not usable with anybody on board...(it's supposed to work, but even still , you can't fly to work in it, and you cannot legally operate it )

[kach22i]

It's a bit of history?

Is Moller hanging it up now?

This listing () has been removed or is no longer available. Please make sure you entered the right item number.

You can buy a plastic model of it.

Item Number:
290036462646

EDIT: Found IT

M400X Skycar VTOL Prototype Aircraft Item number: 250036057352

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/M400X-Skycar-VTOL-Prototype-Aircraft_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ26428QQihZ015Q QitemZ250036057352QQrdZ1

[svandamme]

try the link where i got it form

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10/11/flying_car_auction/

there's a link to it there
no idea why it keeps crapping out if called directly...

[widebody911]

Why did the morons @ ebay make the new URL scheme so f'ing convoluted? Instead of the old post style of of item=##### they embed the damn auction text and the URL itself, back into the URL, and then the hang the item # out on the end of the string, which breaks the cut-and-paste paradigm by making it too long.

Anyway, here's your link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250036057352

[RickM]

That must be the most writen about plane in history. It's been in every science rag for many years.

[svandamme]

Originally posted by RickM
That must be the most writen about plane in history. It's been in every science rag for many years.

and yet only one prototype of the bugger
that alone just means it's a useless pos...

science magazine coverage don't mean a thing to me if it doesn't work. if folks bid 1.75 mill on it , that means there's folks who are to dumb to be rich... or just have to much money and should consider doing some charity donations instead of blowing it on junk

[widebody911]

$1.7M for what amounts to a tethered "RC" toy plane?

[svandamme]

Originally posted by widebody911
$1.7M for what amounts to a tethered "RC" toy plane?

it can carry people, but it's not usable, as it is not legal to use ... it's a prototype , no FAA for DMV approval whatsoever

and the reserve is not met, the auction has 9 days left

they advertise it as

Own the one and only prototype of the Moller M400 Skycar®. This test vehicle has flown repeatedly and demonstrated its hover capabilities in over a dozen flights at the Moller International facilities in Davis, California. It is our intent to offer it for sale by auction on eBay to raise capital for the Company.

now , to me that says another 2 things

A anyone bidding is stupid, because for those amounts of money , i'de want shares of the company , or rights to the technology

B the company has failed to rack up the money from real investors, and that would mean it's not viable


i'm also thinking they don't really have much in the way of patents ...so no money to be foudn there either...
the technology is not new, there is the Osprey VTOL that pretty much does the same thing, just bigger and more effective...and a more develloped R&D track

[RickM]

I guess they're hoping this idea is indeed revolutionary. If it does take off (no pun intended) then posessing the prototype may well be piece of aviation history. At least 30 people appear to see it that way so far.

[Nostril Cheese]

Moller is full of ****. He's been trying to make this stupid thing since the 60's

[svandamme]

just looked at their website, there's a video

http://media.moller.com/Flight030111-320WebMovie.mp4

looks to me like a poorly designed helicopter.
they list specs such as top speed at 13000 feet
but not a shred of proof that this mx400 has ever successfully made the transition to level flight, and has done anything other then an unstable hover...

M400 Skycar Deposit Information
Deposit is refundable until after a successful transitioning flight has occurred. Thereafter deposits are refundable only if Final Delivery Price exceeds List Price (as adjusted for CPI-W) by 5%, OR Standard Equipment List has been shortened OR Guaranteed Performance Specifications are not met, OR FAA Certification Date of the M400 Skycar occurs after December 31, 2008 or a Purchase Agreement is executed prior to FAA certification.

Your required deposit amount is as follows:

Delivery Position Minimum Deposit
Amount List Price
25-100 $100,000 $995,000
101-200 $25,000 $750,000
201-500 $10,000 $500,000

so he lists it as a VTOL on ebay
yet on his own website , he indicates it never has made the transition??
in my book ,that's fraude

[svandamme]

on wikipedia.

Given the machine's very protracted development and its ambitiousness, skepticism that the machine will work as claimed remains high. In 2003, the Securities and Exchange Commission sued Moller for civil fraud (Securities And Exchange Commission v. Moller International, Inc., and Paul S. Moller, Defendants) in connection with the sale of unregistered stock, and for making unsubstantiated claims about the performance of the Skycar. Moller settled this lawsuit by agreeing to a permanent injunction and paying $50,000. In the words of the SEC complaint, "As of late 2002, MI's approximately 40 years' of development has resulted in a prototype Skycar capable of hovering about fifteen feet above the ground."

Discovery Channel's MythBusters has reported that more than $200 million US dollars have gone into the development of the Skycar.
Presales
Moller has been taking refundable deposits on the M400 since 2003. Refund conditions include failure to meet rated performance or failure to obtain US FAA flight certification by December 31, 2005. Since 2003, Moller has slipped the date for FAA flight certification one year each year. [2][3]. As of 2006, Moller's claimed date for FAA certification stands at December 31, 2008.

seriously , anyone paying big money should be restrained...

[widebody911]

Originally posted by RickM
At least 30 people appear to see it that way so far.

Actually, there's only 15 or so unique bidders like 'stupidkid1234' with some hefty purchases under their belts, like "4 inch Neon glow n street cars" and an Ertl toy tractor...

[sand_man]

Originally posted by widebody911
Actually, there's only 15 or so unique bidders like 'stupidkid1234' with some hefty purchases under their belts, like "4 inch Neon glow n street cars" and an Ertl toy tractor...

OMFG...that's funy! A piece of tuna fish sandwich just came flying out of my nose...

[RickM]

Originally posted by widebody911
Actually, there's only 15 or so unique bidders like 'stupidkid1234' with some hefty purchases under their belts, like "4 inch Neon glow n street cars" and an Ertl toy tractor...

I think Neon lights would look good on the belly of that craft. It already has spinners at each corner

[svandamme]

so T minus 4 hours 50 minutes

lead bid :
ico2525( 30) US $2,582,401.00 Oct-17-06 08:51:02 PDT

Ico252 , has been known to buy very extravagant objects
such as

the sound and the fury Item number: 320010030734 USD$ 2.10

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (2003) Item number: 170012497729 USD$0.99

and also has been known to sell off the odd pc memory stick..
2 STICKS 512MB DDR PC 2100 made by PSC Item number: 200009568845 USD$61.25

high roller indeed.


second in the running would be
johnny9282 (57) for US $2,582,301.00

Johnny is not stranger to ebay either, and has been known to deal in cheap ass golfclubs and electric toy guns...


number 3 contender
jetcitytradingpost( 576) US $2,582,101.00

pinball machines, to garments.. an allround playah for sure...


this must be the biggest joke ever...Moller sure has a good business model... there's .com involved, wild speculation...claims of technology that will hit the jackpot in the near future....etc etc

almost feels like it's 1999 again...

[Hendog]

This could be a very worthwhile purchase for the savvy entrepreneur who couples this technology with the "gererator" You then have a time saving commuter that costs nothing to fuel

[svandamme]

Originally posted by Hendog
This could be a very worthwhile purchase for the savvy entrepreneur who couples this technology with the "gererator" You then have a time saving commuter that costs nothing to fuel

timmaeh .
why didn't i think of that.

[Hendog]

Originally posted by svandamme
timmaeh .

Sorry, I'm not Text knowledgable; what does it mean?

[widebody911]

Originally posted by Hendog
Sorry, I'm not Text knowledgable; what does it mean?