Skycar Inventor Paul Moller: Visionary, Realist or Huckster?

Paul Moller is obviously not an engineer, a pilot, a savvy business person or someone who thinks things through in a rational way (“The Audacious Mr. Moller,” by Jordan Raphael, June 25). As a former naval aviator, I can assure you that flying a small aircraft requires training, practice, the ability to think in three dimensions and total attention to the task at hand. It is not like driving an automobile or programming a VCR, which can be quickly taught and easily mastered. Nearly all of the drivers on the streets and freeways right now would not be capable of operating a device such as Moller’s Skycar.

Moller may eventually stumble on a successful design for a vehicle that navigates the streets and airways. But it will have to be operated by qualified pilots to and from real airports or helicopter pads, and it will never be practical for general use or economically feasible.

Mike Morrison

Chatsworth

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Moller has dedicated an entire career to building an airborne transit system that achieves what systems such as the Paris Metro, the London Underground and the New York subway system have provided for more than a century. And there is no sign that his system will ever be able to transport billions of people without incident.

Payam Minoofar

Los Angeles

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You failed to have commentary by competent people from the fields of engineering and business. If the Skycar needs eight engines to get into the air, it has reliability problems. Moller has spent $50 million on a slick, highly polished item for photo purposes. Other than that, all he has to show for his efforts is a Lexus and three marriages.

D. Longmire

Carpinteria

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Oh, great. Every time I want to gaze at the stars I’m going to see headlights instead. I deeply respect Moller for his intellect and creativity, but why not invest the time and money on underground expressways and let us enjoy the little nature and skyline we have left?

Annette Haraldsted

Los Angeles