James May's Big Ideas - The Aerocar

It's a part of the first episode of James May's Big Ideas.
I don't own any rights connected with this video. It's for entertainment purposes only.

[@mino73T11]

You'd have the unique opportunity to flash the headlights and make the indicator blink to overtake an aircraft with this one.

[@larrylentini5688]

Not that you'd be overtaking very many of them at that speed ;)

[@andredeketeleastutecomplex]

Probably none, except maybe a ULM.

[@hardlinefoil7532]

@Troy Gordon oh god. You guys are fucking everywhere. Probably robots. It's a scam people

[@howdareyou41]

you aren't overtaking anyone in this thing

[@emitindustries8304]

You could honk at some flying geese. They'd honk back, annoyed.

[@mattsnyder4754]

To be fair. Calling the Aerocar a “car that flies” is probably a reach. It’s a light aircraft that comes apart to vaguely resemble a road car.

[@killjoycola]

i almost wanna bet this is Clarkson's fake account

[@Jeremy-fy1sz]

It actually solves the problem of needing a car at your destination quite well as it is quite hard to fit even a motorbike in a small aircraft.

[@y0uthinasia]

Nobody asked for your opinion.

[@TonboIV]

"Roadable airplane" is a good description. It's fundamentally an airplane that can more less function on roads. If you consider it from the perspective of going cross country in a normal plane, and then renting a car when you land, a "roadable airplane" starts to make some sense.

[@RingoYote]

you actually do not need a license to fly an ultralight aircraft, as long as you only fly during the day and only under VFR rules, meaning your craft cannot fly via instrumental means, everything is visual..

[@arijit276]

Imagine police stopping you. Police: Hello! you have paperwork to drive this? Owner: How much time have you got?

[@georgecampbellvideos3517]

They're at home. I'll fly back and get them

[@fisherking7798]

Most likely the police don't even know about half the paperwork you'd need

[@timorouw5555]

What are the police doing in the air?

[@liamweaver2944]

@@timorouw5555 Police Helicopters: Are we a joke to you?

[@thegardenofeatin5965]

Curtis is a hero of mine. The Wright Brothers, not understanding how patents work or what they're for, basically wouldn't let anyone else aviate. Curtis, at first wanting to collaborate with the Wrights, was snubbed. So he got a good look at the Wright patent and found that the wing warping for roll control was a central idea of the patent. And so to circumvent the patent and commercialize his own flying machines, he invented the aileron.

[@froggyziffle]

I saw the same Molt Taylor Aerocar at my local airport (KSSI) years ago. I asked the owner how it flies. He wryly replied, "Like a car."

[@rhodesianwojak2095]

lmao

[@ethan60645]

it flies like a car and drives like a plane

[@thatnicklongo5939]

1950: "In 2012 we will have flying cars!" James May:

[@DestroyerWill]

I remember when Richard Hammond flew a Rimac... didn’t end so well

[@fisherking7798]

The "car" with the jet engine didn't really go very well either

[@jackmachaiek2586]

Lol

[@kavinkumarl6425]

Lol

[@TheKooster31]

James May as Scaramanga :D "as you see now Mr. Bond, I'm completely unarmed. cigarette?" ..... and then he proceeds explaining in detail every nook and cranny that his lighter is actually a functional gun, how to assemble it and then proceeds the clever engineering behind it

[@ovt8454]

0:36 Aluminum 🤣. Only die-hard top gear fans will understand.

[@liamweaver2944]

Soooo.....what kind of fuel does it take? Automotive fuel or AVGAS?

[@fisherking7798]

That's the first good question in these comments, there's a big price difference too

[@andrewward7168]

Aviation fuel is illegal to use on public roads in America at least

[@fisherking7798]

@@andrewward7168 why?

[@andrewward7168]

@@fisherking7798 not sure. Seen a couple of videos of people testing aviation fuel in road cars, both warned not to do it on public roads because it is illegal for road use

[@tjoeker680]

@@fisherking7798 I don't exactly know, but it's something along the lines of this: There are 2 exactly the same fuel types. One for cars and one for something else. The one for cars, they just give a red color. If law enforcements suspect something and give you a test, and your fuel doesn't come out red, you're in trouble. I'm not sure why, presumably because there are different taxes on car fuel?

[@gemizu4874]

Just noticed how small the interior is, The pilot is leaning to sit infront of james haha not the most comfortable XD

[@thegardenofeatin5965]

That's every airplane ever built. They're all tiny on the inside.

[@ripvanwinkle2002]

James May. Thank you for living out so many of my childhood dreams for me. this being one as well.. Cheers!

[@DFSJR1203]

I was "Promised" at the 1964-65 Worlds Fair in New York we would all have flying cars, jet packs, trips to Mars and beyond, underwater cities, and robot laborers. Nice things to promise a 5 year old kid. I am now 60 and I don't have any of these things. Can I file a law suit for them lying to me back then?

[@generalv1761]

He buttered that landing

[@phillipzx3754]

I grew up a 15-minute bicycle ride from where the Aerocar was built. The old airport and building are gone. I met Molt when I was about ~10 years old. There are a few of his "Coot" amphibious airplanes still flying around the Portland area.

[@HonARGUru]

I'm low-key kinda disappointed he didn't actually BUILD a flying car Top Gear challenge-style, but it was nice seeing him so giddy in the AeroCar...

[@LordSandwichII]

I don't think that would have ended well...

[@owenstockwood5040]

@@LordSandwichII Probably would have ended similarly to the Caravan Airship or Reliant Robin Shuttle.

[@Quasihamster]

Take a good look at the landing gear of this plane! It's almost the same arangement as on a B-52! Or a Mini Cooper!

[@lindaaneline3011]

James = excellent in what he does.

[@nerblebun]

Saw one of these when I was a kid (early 60's). It took off from the small airport just outside Sactramento where my uncle kept his plane. 1.5 million? Wow, wonder what they cost new.

[@citizen4410]

Grandpa the Grey ii

[@cap12206]

$9500

[@stitch2k1]

It's a bit of a priceless thing though. Who the hell can maintain one?

[@MrWolfSnack]

$1.5 million is the insurance value because there's only 5 in existence. They cost just under $10,000 new which in that time period might as well been a million bucks.

[@ethanbennell7171]

Try about $80000...

[@leoncelarouche1590]

I remember seeing Molt Taylor driving His Aerocar going by my house many times either pulling the wings or just cruising to the neighbor hood store! the first on had just plain aluminum skin before He painted it! Molt Taylor gave me a model promo of His Aerocar, many years ago, the wings folded all in one as the full sized Car/Plane did! I still have it to this day mint in the box along with several others I have collected over many years, it was made by Gladden Toys. Ford Company wanted to build Areocar but the U.S. Government made it to hard to get through the permitting process, Molt Taylor told me personally before He passed away. I remember Bob Cummings bought one that was on His TV show around the early 60s, also a Portland Or. news station used one for traffic news! I often wonder with today's electronics and better air cooled engine choices, shepherd with Taylor's imagination and talent if we could of had one in our garage/hanger today? By the way I do think I remember the Aerocar Sweeny has was the traffic spotter for the news station! By the way the Areocar was designed and built here in Longview Washington!

[@stitch2k1]

Leonce LaRouche If you have any pictures of that could you share them with me? I’m trying to document history on this machine.

[@leehill8696]

Thank you for your informative post. I get so tired of all the KZbin posts of new designs being touted as “the world’s first flying car” when the Taylor model has been around since the 1940’s.

[@stolaircraftsuyanto9728]

hello my friend, greetings from Indonesia. very entertaining video, thank you.. oh yes, am I allowed to re-upload this cool video? please reply, good luck always for you 😀🙏

[@friendlypiranha774]

James May, flying in the Aerocar, you have just one-upped Jeremy Clarkson by so much, that unless he drops his kids off at school in the space shuttle, he has no way of catching up to you👍

[@PrairieDogPoo]

and it even held together. I'd be nervous flying in a 60 yo transformer.

[@tommallon4052]

For $3.5Million, I think I'd settle for a P-40.

[@TheCliffstudios]

Missed opportunity for a "the idea never took off" pun at the start there.

[@erictaylor5462]

"It might be a good idea to combine them." But once you start thinking about it, it's really not. First off, what you need for a car to be safe will make it too heavy to fly, and what you need for an airplane would make it unable to protect the people inside in a road accident. On top of that, a large percentage of people driving cars should not be trusted with something that goes on the ground, let alone something that can go high enough to to kill you if it falls.

[@coryman125]

Not to mention, anything big enough to fly probably won't fit on a road, and the hassle of having to deliver and attach all those extra parts makes it really less of a flying car and more of a car that can be upgraded to a plane

[@tommallon4052]

@@coryman125 And the cost of insurance would be breath taking.

[@friendlypiranha774]

Molt Taylor appeared on the TV program I've Got A Secret on 28 October 1959 with his Aerocar.

[@bicyclist2]

I'm sure James was really in his element with this one. Good to see him in something other than Grand Tour or Top Gear. Thanks.

[@memey5308]

That P 51 at 3:02 XD

[@johnbeauvais3159]

That's Mad Max! I actually had the great fortune of getting to work on that plane

[@LeutnantComanderData]

try pulling a bird with that today you: oi lass me car flies girl: sod off I'll rather do a twerk with a black rapper of some sort

[@cobalt2683]

Should said that it never “took off”

[@SiVlog1989]

I think it's fair to say, the Aerocar makes more sense as a plane than a car

[@brianpaton]

I was driving from Boca Raton to Melbourne a couple of weeks ago and I saw what was unmistakably the Aerocar flying overhead. I was jealous because there was a lot of traffic.

[@NickWilmans]

As a car, it,s terrible. As a plane it's perfect.

[@andgate2000]

Nick Wilmans as a plane it’s terrible too.

[@earth-kun8872]

that p51 tho passing by lmao

[@liamweaver2944]

@alan wilson We love you Brits too! Spitfires and Hurricanes ftw!

[@mh53j]

Just watching this scared me. I'd have to be heavily sedated before I'd go up it that.

[@ijustpostedth1s724]

0:36 Thank you James for that. We here pronounce it UHH-LOOOM-IN-UHHM. Like the uncivilized colonials that we are. I shall try it your way James. *ahem* AL-YOU-MINN-E-UM. Whew, that was tough but I'm still a dirty treasonous colonial and proud of it.

[@thesturm8686]

He totally betrayed the brits

[@endacollins1]

What happens if you pull the handbrake after take-off 😂

[@Dutch972]

The pilot's not much of a talker, eh?

[@MrWolfSnack]

No pilot is. You have to monitor the radio and VFR's

[@MaryjaneGinjar]

Very brave to get in the air in that death trap :D

[@Legman688]

Honestly, it would be easier to buy a Piper Cub and land in your street.

[@gahbah274]

A chauffeur's license? Lmao that's bs you don't need that in the U.S. for a trailer. And a chauffeur drives people around in a personal car or a limo here. they don't drive trucks.

[@stitch2k1]

What part are you referring to?

[@XxKINGatLIFExX]

It's a miracle Mr May hasn't been knighted.

[@ripvanwinkle2002]

he disapproves of the Monarchy

[@mavoc3094]

Seems May's fear of heights is selective.

[@henryfranken2589]

I was at a private collection of airplanes in Minnesota, and the collection had one of these

[@mcb1711]

0:50 missed a trick not saying "never took off"

[@bokhans]

In the big nation, west of the Atlantic Ocean you need 8 licenses or certificate to drive and fly the aero car but you need absolutely nothing except money to become the president in the same country. Explains a lot!

[@khaccanhle1930]

Sounds like we need to get rid of all that red tape for flying.

[@TheCerealHobbyist]

I grew up in Kelso, Washington and met Molt Taylor once. My dad was a private pilot and was pretty good friends with him. We'd see him flying occasionally. I begged, but never got to go up in it.

[@joeoteah1072]

Still one of the coolest inventions in history

[@highrevs6110]

Building a flying car is easy. Piloting a flying car in the air is beyond the ability of many many motorists and probably not possible in volume.

[@LeprechaunJackson]

can you still fly with pixie dust or have you evolved to a point where you don't need that anymore? lol

[@WilliamTurk]

Agreed. Most people are a menace in two dimensions.

[@ryan2798]

ive been talking bout this thing since it appeared on beyond 2000 back in 1990 you need 8 licences to own it....but it is my dream to own one....but not that one a remodeled version it could be built lighter and better 1950's cmon 60 years and we still cant build anything better...the powers that be..keep us trapped in 1980

[@P44man]

There are modern alternatives. www.pal-v.com/en/explore-pal-v They still dont make much sense. You can buy a (MUCH) better car and a better plane for less money than those flying contraptions, and you can even use them both simultaneously. Its like a washing machine that can make toast, but is worse and more expensive for both functions than normal devices. Its pointless.

[@rolandhazuki8787]

If this was Top Gear episode there will be Stig Powerboard Lap on test track on flying car 👍

[@patrickmoody9367]

Where is the propeller/jet, how is it powered

[@panda4247]

5:13 there is one for sale on the internet... from previous sentence, it seems lije he is talking about the girl

[@ronaldfarrington6440]

didnt this car finally plummit out of the sky killing the driver

[@ronfarrington6501]

@@cap5856 well i saw somewhere that one of these cars did,not sure if it was this one but theres not many like they said so i assume so.

[@stitch2k1]

That’s a different flying car concept from the 80’s completely unrelated to the Aerocar.

[@JonatasAdoM]

Why old stuff always seemed more advanced? It doesn't even need a computer!

[@dockmasterted]

Was that the same one that was owned by "Bob Cummings" ?

[@emmapaignton4765]

However if they caught on how many tests would you like me to pass

[@ShadowRubberDuck]

7:25

[@tommcglone2867]

Dont diss 3 speed crash boxes. My grandad WHO TURNS 80 this week im posting this comment, designed and built the gearboxes on the iconic Leyland Tiger Single Deck motorbuses which saw active sevice until about 5 hears ago when Malta retired them despite the Tigers being 50 years old. Diss 3 speed crash gearboxes you diss my grandads work. 🤬

[@screaminlordbyron7767]

I get most of the regulations.. just what you would need for a car and a small plane. The chauffeur licence is stupid though.. on the road it's just a small car with a trailer. I wonder if sailboats that long need the same chauffeur licence.

[@stefanhennig]

This is an idea that failed for obvious reasons. But if you forgo the car-cum-plane idea and settle for something like bike-cum-powered-parachute, there is something you can actually buy and fly without having to sell your grandmother: the Flyke. www.fresh-breeze.de/en/products/trikes/flyke.html These things do exist and they do fly and ride and of course, with them legally being bicycles on the road, nobody ever would even think of starting the engine instead of pedalling. No. Never. Nudge, nudge, say no more...

[@bullettube9863]

That looks like Kissimmee airport where a lot of real old warplanes call home. A co-worker vacations there and has taken flights in a P-51 and a Texas trainer. The pilot ducks down out of sight and a camera mounted on the wing tip takes a photo of you piloting the aircraft! I doubt if we'll ever see flying cars, can you imagine the lousy drivers we have on the roads now flying over you?

[@natelav534]

Wheres the prop? I cant find the damn thing

[@kallewirsch4187]

Its in the end of the tail.

[@stitch2k1]

It’s off the end of the tailcone, it’s driven by a long shaft and some fancy French device mated to a Lycoming

[@first-offfinally9941]

Detachable stearing wheel, detachable gear shift

[@henrysmith7276]

"Why dont we have flying cars yet?" 8 permits just to use it? Might have something to do with you, but yeah just add more laws, rules, regulations to life because fuck it, why not.

[@sundown798]

Update one just sold at Barret Jackson for $250,000. Not that valuable anymore. Always takes what someone will pay.

[@stitch2k1]

That wasn’t surprising whatsoever. It’s still priceless because who in their right mind would want to own one?

[@gradycampbell9933]

I did not expect him to say Glenn Curtis. I live just 25 minutes from the Curtis museum in New York state. I don't remember seeing any pictures or models of this though.

[@chanellefielder3868]

The clever cappelletti undoubtedly suffer because spy phenomenologically alert apropos a fortunate condition. alluring, weak albatross

[@forbeshutton5487]

I would refuse to use the radio, instead just honk the horn at ATC and the other planes.

[@friendlypiranha774]

This Aerocar was sold by Barrett-Jackson on 18 January 2020 for $250 000. Brand new it cost $9 500.

[@isahmaleeksdreamlinerdl7969]

Does watching this 2023july is awesome

[@drivingthenation]

Here is Eric Sweeney talking about the Aerocar. www.drivingthenation.com/worlds-only-flying-1956-moult-taylor-aerocar/

[@ryanbrookfield7111]

Who’s here in 2024 after watching grand tours flying car ?

[@tomatenshow973]

OK Well i mean flyng cars with No wings and like rocket booster under the car☺️😐

[@helifalic]

I can fly too, if you put me inside an aeroplane. Probably faster than attaching the wings and tail to this monstrosity.

[@trommo]

Another flying car AeroMobil - kzbin.info/www/bejne/apPQaIlrrtOSZ7s - see more details.

[@trashman617]

@ 3:03 there is a P 51 Mustang! Should have filmed with that a little

[@thesturm8686]

If this was top gear, the trio would be driving aerocars and the mustang will be chasing them, flown by the Stig pilot cousin off course!

[@Case16710]

The music sounds like Mr Bond. The picture looks like Mr Bean.

[@V-C137]

A flying car is a stupid idea. Who's going to drive when you can fly?

[@ICKY427]

at that point i think it rather have a normal plane then just rent a car at whatever airport i end up at. youre only going to cover any long distances by air anyway. though i understand its reason for existing, not to be a practical solution to getting around, but to keeping the dream of a proper flying car alive.

[@stitch2k1]

Nowadays you can get a crewcar for free anywhere, or with gas purchases. This is from before that was widespread. The usefulness is gone, the novelty is all that remains.

[@captainnapalm8207]

5:03 Wait, I could BUY a date?!? oh. you mean the car.

[@gregoryp2859]

I feel like I've cheated death just from watching the video.

[@lmac9364]

Hi James - you should get over to Slovakia (once they allow travel outside the UK) and see if the folks at Klein-Vision will allow you to fly their AirCar - check it out I believe you are going to love is and I suspect you’ll probably want to buy one...

[@garyelkhorn2116]

I saw one back in 1968 when I was in Springfield, Il at a drive through restaurant on rt 66. We were behind it in line and I saw a hole through the rear engine cover with dirty grease around it, it was red. I had previously seen a model of one about 1963.

[@alanfbrookes9771]

Imagine millions of flying cars around. Now imagine a fender-bender a thousand feet up. Three-dimensional traffic would be much too dangerous, and also a hazard to real aircraft. Imagine a jumbo jet coming in to land with flying cars all around it.

[@RT-eb6vo]

Would look very James Bond in white ...

[@jay6817]

This multi license issue will be the same for the modern air cars.

[@josephdupont]

bob cummings flew one..

[@gentlemenjohn7639]

I came here after seeing scene of aerocar part of disney planes movie

[@Jermster_91]

Probably would never want the check engine light in the air.

[@michaelgill5186]

JAMES WTF !!! YOU ARE WAY TOO PRECIOUS AND VALUABLE TO US MERE HUMANS TO BE RISKING LIFE AND LIMB IN SUCH BIZZARE CONTRAPTIONS , I HOPE YOU HAD A PARACHUTE

[@stitch2k1]

If it’s so dangerous how do you think it got so old?

[@Uptownloki47]

I think I would rather have the P-51 Mustang instead. It's faster and probably safer.

[@gunner678]

The clip on engine and wings from James Bond was good. You have the nicest hair out of those other passengers James lol.

[@theedrstrangelove]

This was shot at Fantasy of Flight between Orlando and Lakeland. Awesome museum!

[@daweedbekhemm8549]

James May is so boring that he is so entertaining at all

[@thomastsangthomas1616]

Awesome aerocar!🛩️🚗

[@friendlypiranha774]

James May has just done the coolest thing ever. I'm nice and jealous.

[@mrcookiemc2288]

So basically a plane (planes have wheels, they shuttle to the runway, like a *car*)

[@mason3229]

I would assume that if we really wanted to make this a thing, we could.