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Cargo plane approach to the flying car

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cluttonfred

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The late French designer Marcel Jurca is best know for his aerobatic sportplanes and replica WWII warbirds, but he also designed this odd little beastie, the MJ.54 Silas (also called Tegas, not sure why) a spacious four-seater with a rear loading ramp capable of carrying a two people and tiny microcar.

Jurca MJ54 Silas.jpg

Now that category of "car without a license" is essentially a four-wheeled moped with a top speed under 30 mph which weights under 900 lbs with a full fuel tank and about 300 mile range. Such cars don't exist in the USA and the low-speed electric vehicles that fulfill a similar role are much heaver. And I will readily admit that the MJ.54 is an uncharasterically hideous plane from the pen of same man who designed the MJ.2 Tempete and many other lovely designs. But the concept seems sound.

I have seen schemes for transporting motorcycles in belly pods on both experimental and certified planes, but what about designing a homebuilt plane to carry your ground transportation from the get go. I could a design in the spirty of the MJ.54 able to fold up all but the pilot and front passenger seats and carry your ground transport as cargo instead. A four-seater could give up two seats for 500 lbs of cargo, which won't get you a car but will get you a couple of mopeds or scooters or a modest two-passenger scooter or motorcycle and some baggage. A six-seater could give up four seats and carry as much as 1,000 lbs of cargo which would get you one cruising motorcycle, two modest motorcycles maybe one of the great Russian Ural or Indian Enfield motorcycles with sidecars. Of course, electric vehicles would be even better -- no fuel to worry about -- if they are light enough.

What does everyone thing? What are some ways to tackle such a miniature cargo plane to bring along your own ground transportation? Here are a few images to provide some food for thought:

Cheers,

Matthew
 

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