Terrafugia hopes to showcase drivable airplane this summer

Make no mistake, Terrafugia's outlandish airplane / motorcar hybrid has been on the drawing board for years, but it looks like the rubber is about to hit the proverbial road (or take to the skies, whichever) this July. A team of ten is working feverishly to ready the Transition for its debut at this year's AirVenture, where it hopes to catch more than a few eyes with its zany "roadable aircraft." As you can likely guess, this thing is meant to both fly and drive, and yes, that means it'll have to pass safety regulations from both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If all goes well, the startup expects to deliver its first vehicle to a customer in 2009, while mass production isn't scheduled to happen until 2012. We're no experts in the field, but it seems like it'll take a Christmas miracle for either of those feats to actually be accomplished.

[Via Slashdot]

[Mike10010100 @ May 10th 2008 9:39AM]

ooooooookaaaaayyyy..... If it should protect the pilot from a crash in the air, how hard could it be to protect the pilot from a crash on the ground?

[Blackstar @ May 10th 2008 4:57PM]

That's nothing. Now you'll see people flying in straight lines with their left directional blinking non stop.

[Dan @ May 10th 2008 9:43AM]

I can see it now, highspeed chase on the highway, just when the cops are about to catch you, deploy flaps! see ya!

[Aguiluz @ May 10th 2008 10:09AM]

Then the police choppers take over. :)

[mmh @ May 10th 2008 10:11AM]

Not a problem, just enter the nearest safe house and save.

[JAmerican @ May 10th 2008 12:28PM]

@mmh LMAO! Nice

[Ally @ May 10th 2008 1:33PM]

you guys have been playing too much GTA IV


:P

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ May 10th 2008 9:44AM]

Would insurance cover fatalities?

[aardWolf @ Jun 16th 2008 1:18PM]

I'll insure you. If you die, I'll write you a check and leave it in your coffin.

[clak @ May 10th 2008 9:45AM]

Doc Brown would be proud.


Think Different

[Aguiluz @ May 10th 2008 10:10AM]

No Mr. Fusion? No mess of wires on the outside? No Flux Capacitor? No rear thrusters? No Time Circuits?

Dr. Brown will be disappointed.

[Blackstar @ May 10th 2008 7:02PM]

Worse, is no 'Huey Lewis and the News' soundtrack either.

[Jeff P. @ May 10th 2008 7:30PM]

"Where were going we don't need roads!"

[Kelly Fausek @ May 10th 2008 9:51AM]

does it run on corn????

[happy_penguin @ May 10th 2008 2:31PM]

We call it maize.

[Tom Oliveri @ May 10th 2008 10:10AM]

i call dibs on the first one off the line

[Steve Jones @ May 10th 2008 11:42AM]

It's a shame you're poor then.

[JAmerican @ May 10th 2008 12:29PM]

Yea, I'd wait for them to fix the glitches with the first one then take the 1000th one.

[Raheem @ May 10th 2008 10:14AM]

A welcome Christmas miracle. We seriously need to ease road congestion but I reckon a few of these clipping buildings/lorries/old ladies will shut this down.

[Steffen Jobbs @ May 10th 2008 10:21AM]

Looks like it might have a few blind spots when used as a car. Those bumpers don't look all that solid either. I'd say it might be useful if it got stuck in a traffic jam, but only if it could be used as a VTOL craft.

Back in the fifties when I used to read Popular Science, everybody would have had these by now and commuting to work in the city with parking on the building rooftops. Reality is a long way off.

[Roumen Kassabov @ May 10th 2008 10:31AM]

Uh, no, i think your logic is skewed mike. If it protects him from a direct impact from another car, then i think it is safe to fly. Besides, last i checked, if the plane im on decides to take a nose dive im pretty sure that it wont be "crash safe"

[dazepro @ May 10th 2008 10:38AM]

I would not want to have to pay that gas bill every month ( =.

[Jim @ May 12th 2008 3:56PM]

Actually, I believe its been stated that this thing will get around 30mpg City, 40 Highway, and 30 Air.

[601210 @ May 10th 2008 10:45AM]

How the heck would this be useful in a traffic jam? Wouldn't the presence of said traffic make it impossible to lift off?
As much as it's an awesome idea, I find it hardly worth it. It would most likely not perform very well as a car, and perform as badly as an airplane, and the advantages of putting both together aren't as useable as you'd think.
Oh well, this is me posting without clicking the read link...

[enigmatic @ May 10th 2008 10:50AM]

So..... How will it fly? Will it use propellers or jet engine?? Will it use the same fuel used by airplane or will it use the fuel used by cars?? I just can’t imagine what would be the excuse of the driver/pilot when he accidentally unfolds his wings while parked or during traffic....

[roflercopterer @ May 10th 2008 10:52AM]

Whomever is driving that thing on the road is going to merge right into something. Those wings look like they make for an unreal blind spot. Even looking over your shoulder looks futile.

[Kurian @ May 10th 2008 10:53AM]

How does it fly??!? I don't see any engines or stuff!

[pfromg @ May 10th 2008 11:02AM]

pfff, who needs engines to fly?
Its probably got a frikin lazer beam though.

[Gregory Kimball @ May 10th 2008 11:13AM]

There's a propeller mounted behind the cabin (you can't see it in the photo).

[Yuri @ May 10th 2008 11:30AM]

I'd like to have one for my father, not to drive on the road, but as a plane he can fly around (He has a pilot's license)

I think the idea of having something like that would be amazing, because we can't afford a Cessna, and the space to board it at the local airport.

Hell, if it was safe enough for an occasional leisurely flight like a small cessna, and costs less than $500,000 it'd be an amazing thing to own.

[atz6975 @ May 10th 2008 11:49AM]

Yuri...I'm your father...

[d840 @ May 12th 2008 4:13AM]

a small 2-seater costs between $30k - $70k used. A 4-seater cessna 182 is between $55k and $90k, so what makes you think a cessna 182 would cost $500k? You could buy a Bell Jet Ranger (helicopter) for that!

Also, from looking at that concept art:
1) it sucks for driving, those are the worst blindspots I have ever seen!
2) it is rather short for an aircraft, meaning it would lack longitudinal stability, which means you would not be able to carry much luggage due to weight and balance issues.
3) does it use the same engine for on the road as for flying? Because those are 2 very different engine designs, and having 2 separate engines would weigh too much for it to ever get off the ground.
3) you'd have to get to an airport to take-off and land, so it would NOT be "great for traffic jams" ( I know you didn't say that, but others have )
4) people would have to not only pay for the price of a car, but also for around 40-60hrs of training before they could get their pilot's license for it.
5) the thing would fly like UTTER CRAP (comparable to a brick with stubby, folding wings)
6) no one is going to fly those to work unless they live near an airport, and more and more airports are closing down these days, so this dream people have will keep getting farther and farther away from being relized
7) this thing would drive like CRAP, and would be a total deathtrap
8) would not be a cost-effective mode of transportation
9) the people who can commute by air already do, this car wouldn't change much
10) it will never become a possibility until the cars fly themselves, and that's a good 50-100yrs out at least

11) IT'S FUGLY!!!!!!!

[Rogue_Genius @ Jun 16th 2008 3:17PM]

@ d840

Well, you raised some good points in your list. The problem is that your post started off all wrong. Sure, a Cessna 182 might be had for less than 100k, but a 2007 Cessna 206 will definitely run you $500,000.00 without much effort. Factor in the cost of storage (like the original poster did) and you are talking a prohibitively expensive device, in comparison to a dual-purpose mode of transportation like the carplane pictured above.

[Husar @ May 10th 2008 11:47AM]

Dont think this will pass through the FAA, unless there is a good security system installed in the plane, and all drivers/pilots who are in control of the plane have a pilots license.
It will cause mayhem for traffic controllers if on every highway a guy was taking off on to overtake the morning rush hour and there are planes landing at a nearby airport.
You probably will only be allowed to take of in the air at an airport or a designated area.
By the looks of the thing, it probably aint built for performance. Itll probably be flying like a Wilga.
But thats just my 1c worth of talk, if its even worth that much :P

[srw @ May 11th 2008 3:45AM]

You should read the article--its designed to be an inexpensive solution for recreational pilots. They just want to make it roadworthy enough to get to and from the airport so that you don't have to pay for hanger storage. It is also going to slow and lightweight enough to qualify as an "ultralight" so that pilots will only require a "sport pilot" license to fly it.
All this for only $150,000.. wait ..thats inexpensive?

[granny down east @ May 10th 2008 12:03PM]

Let's see;
Eastern NC to FL (600 m) by car @ 30mpg = 15 hours and about 20 gal gas. Cost - @ $3.60/gal = $72

Eastern NC to FL by Piper Comanche, (600 m) or 4 hours @ 10 gph = 40 gal.
Cost - @ $5/gal (avgas) = $200

Is my time worth the extra $128? Damn straight.

Should you purchase a Terrafugia based on cost effectiveness alone? Hell, no. Buy it for the fun of it.

[Will @ May 10th 2008 10:53PM]

I could not agree more read my post on my blog - flying is now cheaper for the family vacation then my wife's Yukon or at least that is what I tell her.

http://blog.what2fly.com/2008/04/22/fuel-prices-keeping-you-grounded/

[Vompaq @ May 10th 2008 12:56PM]

I personally give the pal-v (http://www.pal-v.nl) a better chance on surviving market launch. It rides like a Carver, and at least it doesn't have those late sixties folded wings...

[Adamwho @ May 10th 2008 1:07PM]

I will believe this flies when I see the video

[SFO Kevin @ May 10th 2008 1:24PM]

Yikes... I do not want the think of what the freeways here in Marin will be like if BMW comes out with one of theses ;>

[Phoenixfury @ May 10th 2008 1:34PM]

Roads? Where were going we don't need roads!

[errrduh.... @ May 10th 2008 1:55PM]

I really think people are missing the point of this vehicle. It really isn't intended for the mass market. My dad used to be a private pilot, flying his Cesna into small airstrips accross the country and the Bahamas a few weekends of the year. This type of thing would be ideal for taking short trips from the airport to a hotel on a vacation, not everyday driving. It would be for county roads, not highways. I could actually see this filling a small niche. I mean, ultralights are the easiest, cheepest way for people to get in the air, but you don't see everyone under the sun flying them on the weekends.

I do see how regulatory approvals could keep this thing grounded, so to speek.

[HunterXI @ May 10th 2008 2:11PM]

I didn't realize that obscure companies like Terrafugia had access to Battlestar Galactica's Raider sets.

[alex @ May 10th 2008 3:19PM]

Actually it looks more like a Colonial Raptor than a Cylon Raider

[Eric @ May 10th 2008 8:34PM]

Now that you mention it, it does look like a Colonial Raptor. When I saw it, I first thought of a shuttle from Star Trek: TNG.

[HunterXI @ May 11th 2008 10:32AM]

Whoops, yeah. I meant the Raptor. Good catch.

[stan whittle @ May 10th 2008 3:32PM]

After viewing most of your comments it's easy to see why we will soon be paying 5 dollars a gallon for gas to run our dinosaur autos, henry started all this and no one has taken the time since to make anything better. If this thing gets off the ground and gets into production your gas gussling SUV will be something you read about in the history books not because of this first proto type but because of what will come very fast in transportation and new usable types of fuel for future needs, you don't really think they will depend on gas for fuel do you, the oil boys can use it to fill their swimming pools with~~~let the oil boys be the one's with their heads in the sand~~~not you.

[Mike @ May 10th 2008 4:21PM]

I really wish the best for this little planemobile.
I actually had a similar idea a while ago that never went beyond doodles.
However, I chose a biplane cell and the vertical stabilizers were actually the front wheel fairings, while the rudder was in the back right behind the propeller, airboat style.

[alex @ May 10th 2008 4:48PM]

I'll park right next to my Moller Skycar, oh wait they never delivered that either...

[Will @ May 10th 2008 10:37PM]

Yeah I would love one but like Steffen said reality is a long way off on this. However check out the flying motor cycle which is street legal and is short take off and land on your street...thebutterflyllc.com

I went and looked at it at their factory its pretty cool, but a gyrocraft. Again not gonna be coming to everyone's garage anytime soon.

http://blog.what2fly.com