After 12 years of development, Butterfly LLC's patented fly-drive Super Sky Cycle is ready for a little off-roading. The single-seat gyro-plane meets all FAA criteria for experimental aircraft and can be licensed as a home-built motorcycle, says company President Larry Neal. The rotor is easy to fold and secure for driving. The lanky landing gear absorbs the momentum of near-vertical landings.
In less than 5 min, the operator can change the function from fly to drive or back. The vehicle goes 60 mph on the road and about 70 in the air, lands in less than 30 ft, and fits in a garage. On land, the cycle does not use the propeller. Instead, a belt drive engages the wheels with the same engine used to drive the prop. A single bolt removed from the prop lets the crankshaft move freely inside the prop hub, which then rides on bearings and remains fixed.