German in Bengaluru scouts for expertise for his flying car

A German engineer is in Bengaluru in the hope of mustering IT and aeronautical support to make his flying car project a reality.
Wilhelm Brinkmann displays a model of the flying car. He is in the city hoping to find aeronautical and IT support for his project  | Express
Wilhelm Brinkmann displays a model of the flying car. He is in the city hoping to find aeronautical and IT support for his project | Express

BENGALURU: A German engineer is in Bengaluru in the hope of mustering IT and aeronautical support to make his flying car project a reality. Wilhelm Brinkmann has been working on the project for the last four years.

Gliding on air is very economical and the most efficient way of flying. The flying car is being designed to work on the concept of Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL). But, unlike a helicopter, when fully developed, it will be a revolutionary mode of transport as there is no need of runways, he says. He has applied for patents at Stuttgart, Germany.

“Bengaluru being the aeronautical and IT hub of the world, I hope to find expertise as my project needs a stabilizing chip and software support for steering in VTOL and robotic arms to automatically operate the wings in the flying car. The project still needs lot of detailed development and may create jobs. Three people can be seated in this car that will operate on a simple and incredibly light weight engine running on hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen, a very clean and green fuel combination,” he says.

Brinkmann has come with high hopes. And he explains, “I need a very specialized chip which can be created in Bengaluru as the expertise is available. Therefore, I am planning to talk to a few aeronautical developers and avionics experts to make my dream project a reality. I have come to India as the country is developing rapidly in terms of technology.”

The vehicle concept

Brinkmann talks passionately about engine development which, he claims, uses a new kind of clean fuel. The flying car will be a road vehicle which Brinkmann claims will transform in just three minutes to become a VTOL aircraft. Using Thrust Vectoring Nozzles, the propulsion system will create uplift and also control the velocity of the flying car. It will have two main propellers in front, one each at the wing’s ends and two propellers at the rear end for stabilisation. The main parts include engines in the front, two cold turbines, two wings with minimum weight and four retractable wheels which will act as a landing gear.

Russian connection

The engine was developed at Savod Automobili and Transformerov in Moscow, Russia. Brinkmann said, “The engine is light (40-60 kg) and powerful. It is the most simple rotary engine with two chambers but without valves and completely self-steering.” “When fuel enters the first chamber, it ignites and causes expansion of hydrogen peroxide. With every rotor simultaneously turning in this progressing cavity engine, there will be three ignitions followed by expansion and release of the exhaust which is nothing but pure water,” he explains.

Clean fuel

Giving details on the new kind of combination fuel being used — hydrogen peroxide + hydrogen — Brinkmann said, “I have a long way to go when it comes to questions of steering, robotic arms, mileage, costing and a host of other issues. However, I am looking forward to obtain the necessary expertise as also funding as I hope to complete my project and fly the car at the next Aero India show at Bengaluru.”

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