Flying-car letdown

SIR – Flying cars (Harry de Quetteville, News focus, July 16) were the original form of powered, controllable aircraft.

On July 13 1901, in front of the largest known gathering of humans up to that time, Alberto Santos-dumont piloted his 12 horsepower, four-cylinder air-cooled engine, propeller-driven Bis 5 lighter-than-air aircraft on a round trip from the Parc Saint-cloud to the Eiffel Tower and back in less than 30 minutes. The media of the day was as enthusiastic as Mr de Quetteville.

So, what has happened to flying cars in the in the meantime? Not much really. They still look pretty far-fetched as a viable means of transport. Professor Kenneth Button

Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University Arlington, Virgina, United States