There is an excellent solution to the traffic congestion problem you very nicely describe in Slow Going, on the front page of Wall St. Journal, Aug 30, 2000 I have been investigating solutions to traffic jams as an engineer for over a decade. I have concluded, as have many others, that the only solution to traffic congestion lies in traveling in three dimensions, not just 1.5, that is - flight. Many others agree that flight is the solution: example, a quote from Burt Rutan http://www.skyaid.org/Skycar/Media/rutan.htm There are now two prototypes of vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for to exploit commuting in three dimensions which can be seen at- http://www.moller.com and http://www.vtol1.com
MANY ENGINEERS ARE CONVINCED THAT VTOL WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON NASA has investigated both of these VTOL aircraft, Many companies have also investigated the technical feasibility and market
potential of VTOL NASA has on-going projects for creating and using personal aircraft, http://sats.nasa.gov/ including VTOL http://www.skyaid.org/Skycar/Media/manta.htm I have talked with the NASA Chief Scientist as well as their VTOL expert. The US Army has used the Skycar in battle simulations and has stated that 'the team with the Skycar always wins' Here is a link to a July 2000 publication by the Army on military applications of the Skycar http://www.skyaid.org/Skycar/Media/us_army_logician_draft.htm I have recently created a nonprofit organization to use these VTOL vehicles
to provide very rapid delivery of emergency medical care The nonprofit organization will save at least 100,000 lives per year. MEDIA COVERAGE Media coverage of this nonprofit organization started last week: http://www.skyaid.org/Skyaid%20Org/skyaid_media.htm The concept is fairly popular: just one of my television interviews was replayed 52 times around the US on Aug 29/30 Here is a media page on the Skycar http://www.skyaid.org/Skycar/Media/skycar_media_coverage.htm This includes a presentation made to the US Congress in April 2000 http://www.skyaid.org/Skycar/Media/airborne_personalized_travel.htm Scientific American had a short article on the Skycar: http://www.sciam.com/1999/1299issue/1299techbus2.html My detailed implications of the Skycar are at http://www.skyaid.org/Skycar/skycar_detail_1990_2000.htm
METHODS OF TRANSPORTATION TYPICALLY CHANGE EVERY 56 YEARS Canal, railway, road, airway, and then ??? http://www.skyaid.org/images/transport%20infrastructures.gif We are actually a little late at starting to use a new form of transportation. I have described how an air taxi service will substantially decrease metro Seattle traffic congestion by 2015 http://www.skyaid.org/Skycar/skycars%20in%20puget%20sound.htm |
