Is it a flying car … or is it a drivable airplane? Well, according to Terrafugia, the aviation—or is it automotive?—company making the combo, it’s the first “roadable aircraft”. The company announced Wednesday that the Transition cleared a big obstacle toward its appearance at airports and rush hours. The Federal Aviation Administration granted the Terrafugia Transition an exemption to be classified as a “light sport aircraft”. Because of the classification, Transition owners will find it easier to get certified by the FAA to live their dream of driving a flying car.
The flying car you park in the garage
The Terrafugia Transition fits in a garage and blends into traffic—as a car. According to CNET’s Johnathon E. Skillings, the Terrafugia Transition looks like a “Volkswagen in the belly of a carp”. He reports that the vehicle burns unleaded fuel from the corner gas station on the road and in the air. It has a top speed of 65 mph on the highway and gets 30 miles to a gallon of gas. In flight it cruises at 115 mph and has a range of about 450 miles. The vehicle can transform from airplane to car in just 30 seconds, according to Terrafugia.
The light sport aircraft exemption
As a light sport aircraft, the Terrafugia Transition now belongs in the FAA’s smallest private plane classification. The maximum weight allowed is 1,320 pounds. But at that weight, Terrafugia could not fit safety features required for cars like airbags, roll cage and crumple zones. Terrafugia wanted the FCC to classify the plane as a light sport aircraft, Jalopnik reports, because owners will only need 20 hours flying the Transition to be licensed by the FAA. The FAA granted an exemption for the extra 110 pounds, and Terrafugia can now sell the Transition as long as it informs buyers about the weight difference.
Transition is airborne, will Terrafugia follow?
Terrafugia says the Transition carries a major safety advantage over its light sport aircraft brethren. If the weather is too severe for safe fight, The Telegraph reports, pilots can simply fold their wings and drive home. But don’t expect to see the Terrafugia Transition in your rear view mirror for awhile. The Transition that performed for FAA inspectors is a one-off prototype. Terrafugia expects a production model for customers in 2011. Even so, 70 people have enthusiastically thrown down a deposit on the $ 194,000 Transition. A $ 10,000 refundable deposit from each potential customer is being held in escrow for now, in the event that Terrafugia goes into a tailspin before the Transition can soar.
Citations:
cnet.com
jalopnik.com
telegraph.co.uk
