> Uummm. So, who fucking cares about these plane cars, or car planes, or...... They're > not going to contribute one wit of benefit to life at large.....
If you're talking about roadable aircraft that's right, car or not is just another plane who could be driven on roads. You need a pilot license, flight experience and take many risks other than driving because that thing doesn't brake in air. If people have problems driving cars and are potential projectiles, imagine a whole bunch of roadable aircraft on highways and airports.
That's why people care about the current idea of a flying car. A vehicle that hovers somehow at fixed altitudes and speeds. Capable of stabilize and move at worst like a quadcopter, with proximity detectors and optionally have an automatic navigation system which connects to a locale traffic control network for in between communication. Basically something that can be driven by anyone with minor requirements like a wheeled car and it doesn't require a commercial pilot career to use like current roadable aircraft does.
Is it science fiction? Yes. Are we far away from that? Of course. But that's what people on this century understands as a 'flying car'. Right now it's called 'flying car' because like in the 1930's, the concept of roadable aircraft wasn't known. 'Flying car' is the equivalent to say "that thing that flies and looks like a car" when it hasn't been conceived before, you're not a military professional or you haven't heard about the correct term before.