Flying cars come pretty high up the average gadget geek's
wishlist, so it's pretty encouraging to see NASA funding a
$250,000 contest that could eventually produce a pioneering
vehicle that can fly and drive. Although none of the winners
this time around can actually achieve the two feats, they all
have features that tend towards the PAV (or Personal Aircraft
Vehicle) area of the General Aviation spectrum. The winner was
the Pipistrel Virus, a $70,000 aircraft that can do 50 MPG and
take off on short runways, whilst having a top speed of 170 MPH.
The industry still seems to have a while to go yet, seeing as
NASA awarded a prize to the Cessna 172, which has been flying in
one form or another for practically half a century.   NASA
crowns winner in $250k "flying car" contest