Detroit! Where’s My Flying Car!

Detroit Aircraft Corp. (DAC) is hosting a special aerospace panel discussion and design event called, “Detroit, Where Is My Flying Car?” on September 23, 2011 at the Bankle Building on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, four blocks north of the Fox Theatre (2944 Woodward). DAC Chairman Jon Rimanelli states that the goal is to re-purpose portions of Detroit’s industrial base toward manufacturing Next Generation aircraft which introduce new automation technologies for collision avoidance and flight path management to move public transportation into the third dimension without an inordinate amount of training.

Think about it, air travel is not fun anymore. For the general consumer it is unfair, unequal and flat out a violation of civil rights. With the state of the world and new security measures, air travel will never be the same. Our vision is to make lives of the traveling public easier by networking America’s 5,000+ airports using smaller, highly automated, hybrid gas/electric propelled aircraft with complete aircraft parachutes and synthetic vision systems to make flying safer and as intuitive as driving a car. Given Detroit’s vast resources in transportation research, development and manufacturing, along side its prodigious history in aerospace, the Detroit Aircraft Corporation is sponsoring this University level Design Challenge to facilitate solutions in personal air mobility.

The FAA’s mandate for NextGen Air Transportation represents a “Sputnik” moment, and our goal is to “kick start” investments in air mobility to avoid slipping further behind the European Union and Asia in funding automated air mobility.

Exhibition of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle models, aerospace artwork, and 3D student transportation designs. The Design Challenge will be launched with students and faculty from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, and the College For Creative Studies in Detroit. Students may sign up at DetroitAircraft.Com, but must be registered by Oct 31, 2011. Cash and other prizes will be announced November 1st, 2011.

Panel Discussion: (7:15-8:15 p.m.):

• Dr. Bruce Holmes: CEO, NextGen Aero Sciences, Williamsburg, Virginia; Retired NASA Chief Strategist and Aerospace Entrepreneur.
• Dr. Daniel Inman: Chair, University of Michigan Aerospace Engineering Program.
• Imre Molnar: Dean, College for Creative Studies.
• Keith Nagara: Director of Transportation Design, Lawrence Technological University.

Fashion Design Runway Show Afterglow: (8:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m.)

Runway shows by Detroit designers Emily Thornhill, Terrance Sullivan, Camilo Pardo, and Kelly Lynne.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: To rsvp or schedule interviews with the DAC please contact pr@detroitaircraft.com or 313.330.7058. For up to date information on the event please follow us on Twitter – www.twitter.com/detroitaircraft and Facebook – www.facebook.com/detroitaircraft.

Contact:  Anita Preston, 313-330-7058