Full record for aircar n.

Definition	= aerocar
OED requirements	antedating 1871
Earliest cite	New York Times, 1871
Comment	Enoch Forrester submitted a 1946 cite from Isaac Asimov's "Evidence". Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a reprint of Pohl & Kornbluth's "The Space Merchants"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1952 magazine version. Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1987 reprint of Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers". Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1981 reprint of Larry Niven's "Ringworld"; Treesong verified the cite in the 1970 first edition. Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1991 reprint of Isaac Asimov's "Foundation's Edge". Mike Christie submitted a 1988 cite from Neil Gaiman's "Don't Panic". Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1990 reprint of Dan Simmon's 1990 novel "Hyperion". Mike Christie submitted a 1970 cite from Frank Herbert's "Whipping Star". Mike Christie submitted a 1958 cite from Poul Anderson's "We Have Fed Our Sea". Fred Galvin submitted cites for "air-car" from a 1949 reprint of Alexander M. Phillips' "Martian Gesture", and later verified them in the 1935 first publication. Fred Galvin submitted a cite for "air-car" from a 1957 reprint of Harry Bates' "A Matter of Size"; Alistair Durie verified this in its 1934 original publication. Fred Galvin submitted a cite from a 1977 reprint of Jack Vance's 1950 "The Dying Earth". Roberto Labanti submitted a cite from a news story in the Washington Post, Dec 25, 1910. Roberto Labanti submitted a cite from an anonymous story, "Icarus in the West" in the New York Times, August 7, 1871.
Last modified	6 July, 2008

Citations for aircar n.

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1950 J. Vance Dying Earth (1977) 97	Three air-cars rested on the terrace, and the metal was as bright, the glass as clear, the enamel as vivid as if the cars had just dropped from the sky. They went to the nearest; Ulan Dhor pressed the entry button, and the dome slid back with a thin dry hiss of friction. The interior was like that of the other car—a long cushioned seat, a globe mounted on a rod, a number of switches. The cloth of the seat crackled with age as Ulan Dhor prodded it with his hand, and the trapped air smelt very stale‥. Cautiously he touched the switches, ready to throw them back at any dangerous manifestation. The dome snapped over their heads; relays thousands of years old meshed, cams twisted, shafts plunged home. The air-car jerked, lofted up into the red and dark blue sky. Ulan Dhor grasped the globe, found how to turn the boat, how to twist the nose up or down. This was pure joy, intoxication—wonderful mastery of the air! It was easier than he had imagined. It was easier than walking. He tried all the handles and switches, found how to hover, drop, brake. He found the speed handle and pushed it far over, and the wind sang past the air-boat.
1959 R. A. Heinlein Starship Troopers (1987) 156	There's an air car waiting on the roof and your boat boosts in twenty-eight minutes.
1967 P.K. Dick Counter-Clock World (1990) 59	He slapped Lindy on the back, then strode up the stairs to the roof field parking area, where his aircar reposed.
1970 A. McCaffrey Ship who Sang (1991) vi. 236	He's sold his aircar‥.and he's selling his wardrobe.
1971 U. K. LeGuin Vaster Than Empires & More Slow in E. S. Rabkin Sci. Fiction: Historical Anthol. (1983) 505	Take the aircar and a data-feeder and go do a species count.
1977 H. M. Hoover Delikon (1986) vii. 27	When their aircar landed in early afternoon he was waiting for them.
1981 G. R. R. Martin in Analog Sci. Fiction/Sci. Fact Mag. 12 Oct. 21/2	The Guardians had twenty armed skimmers, and there were another hundred-odd skimmers and aircars in private hands. We commandeered them, armed them. We also had our airships. Skimmers and aircars are difficult and expensive to maintain here.