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Terrafugia's flying car project is still a couple of years away
Terrafugia's car/plane hybrid has been "coming soon" for nearly a decade and it will stay that way a bit longer. The Transition vehicle has come a long way since those early renders, and in a talk today Terrafugia COO / VP of Engineering Kevin Colburn explained some of the design decisions involved and what else need to happen before pilots/drivers can climb in. The estimated price seems to have climbed a bit from the $279,000 projection, as he said the company is targeting between $300k and $400k. At that price it's not going to replace your (or anyone's) daily driver, but that's not the point. Terrafugia believes that being able to drive the plane from the airport to one's destination is enough to give it an advantage over other small planes or forms of travel.
Watch Terrafugia's Transition fly and drive in public for the first time (video)
Sure, the Terrafugia Transition took to the skies for the first time at the 2012 NY Auto Show, but it has yet to fly and drive in front of an audience -- until now. The "driveable plane" did two laps around the field at this year's EAA AirVenture airshow in Wisconsin, once up in the air and once on land, as you can see in the videos past the break. In between the laps, it transforms from an airborne into a land vehicle by automatically folding its wings flush against its body. Despite the successful demo, it'll take a while before we see a Transition on the road -- Terrafugia plans to build a third prototype of the $279,000 plane / car before it begins production. Millionaires and supervillains, take note: you can pay a $10,000 reserve fee for one, but don't expect it to grace your driveway or hangar until 2015 or 2016.
Terrafugia's Transition aircraft not likely to see production this year
Terrafugia's Transition flying car (or driveable plane) has stayed out of the spotlight since we caught a glimpse of it last year, but AOL Autos recently checked-in with the daring manufacturer to gauge its progress. Sure, the prototype has already scored a VIN from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and an N-number from the Federal Aviation Administration, but it turns out the land /air hybrid is still awaiting complete certification by the NHTSA. Production dates won't be announced until the craft has been rubber-stamped by Uncle Sam, and that isn't expected to occur within the next 12 months. For now, suppliers are being lined up, and it's very likely that another prototype will be fashioned before it hits the assembly line. You might not be able to sit inside your very own Transition soon, but you will be able to see the first model on display at Cape Cod's Heritage Museum this summer.
Terrafugia Transition production prototype completes first flight, set to land at NY Auto Show this Friday
Terrafugia's Transition could finally be making its way to the production line. The "flying car" has journeyed far beyond the concept phase, achieving its compulsory nod from the DOT last summer, and now reaching production prototype status. On March 23rd, the latest Transition flew past one more hurdle, completing its first airborne trial. The hybrid vehicle rolled down the runway at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York before ascending to 1400 feet -- the entire flight lasted a mere eight minutes, and marks the first of six planned phases of flight testing during the aircraft's voyage past experimental stage. There's still no word on when the Light Sport Aircraft will be making its way to soon-to-be Transition owners, but those hankering for a preview can catch a glimpse of the craft at the New York Auto Show from April 6th through the 15th. You can also taxi past the break for a tail-level view of the test plane's trek to takeoff.
Terrafugia Transition aircraft gets DOT roadworthiness sign-off, can now drive you to the airport
For most experimental aircraft, earning an airworthiness certificate is enough of a challenge. But the Terrafugia Transition is a unique type of flying machine, requiring approval not only from the FAA, but also from the USDOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), since this air / land hybrid is likely to spend just as much time cruising down the highway as it will flying 5,000 feet above. The Transition is now slightly closer to takeoff, with the NHTSA granting exemptions for absent airbags, a missing electronic stability system, and the plane's lightweight polycarbonate windows (polycarbonate is lighter than automotive safety glass, and won't shatter and obscure a pilot's vision in the event of a bird strike). Unfortunately the Transition still has other hurdles to fly over -- its cabin is limited to carrying 330 pounds when fully fueled, including passengers, and the price has jumped 41 percent, to $250,000. In the meantime, Terrafugia hopes to move forward with production later this year, bringing the 'flying car' slightly closer to a runway (and highway) near you.
Terrafugia's flying car Transitions into a safer, better, tamer-looking personal transporter
Whether you classify it as a roadable aircraft or a flying car, Terrafugia's Transition looks resolutely set on avoiding vaporware status and becoming a bona fide commercial reality late next year. It's ironic, then, that the latest development is being illustrated with a bunch of renders, but what they show is a significantly redesigned body, which now comes with FAA-approved safety features and brings the hybrid vehicle closer to its final shape. The new design integrates lessons learned from the Transition's test flight last year to improve the wing shape and retraction mechanism, while also including an impact-absorbing crumple zone in the nose. The two-seater now also comes with a touchscreen center console -- because nothing signals modernity better than a touchscreen -- and can be seen in all its computer-generated glory on video after the break. %Gallery-98250%
Terrafugia Transition flying car gets a little closer to reality with FAA approval
If you're a little heavier than your spouse would like, you have two choices: get a new diet, or get a new spouse. However, if you're the Terrafugia Transition flying car and you're a little heavier than the FAA would like, you have a third option: get an exemption. The, uh, car is 120lbs too heavy to fit into the FAA's "light sport" designation, defining craft that can be flown by pilots with only 20 hours of logged seat time. However, the 1,560lb craft was given special exemption, enabling it to continue onward to production. If you haven't been following along, the thing can manage 115mph in the air then land, fold up its wings, and get 30mpg on the highway. If all goes according to plan we should be seeing this car get its big, beautiful self up for sale sometime next year -- all $194,000 worth of it.
Terrafugia Transition flying car shows up at air show, doesn't fly
As promised, Terrafugia's Transition flying car recently made its public debut at the AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and while it didn't actually fly, it at least looks a whole lot more real than those renders the company had been showing off. Terrafugia has also gotten a bit more specific about the vehicle's specs, with it promising that the Transition's weight will stay under 850 pounds thanks to its carbon fiber body, and that it'll get about 23 mpg from its 100 hp Rotax 912 S engine. Unlike something like the fabled Moller Skycar, however, this one won't do vertical take offs and landings, so you'll either need a really long driveway or access to a runway of some sort. There's also no word on what it'll cost, but Terrafugia says it already has fifty customers awaiting delivery of the vehicle, which the company is promising will happen in 2010. If you're still craving more flying car promises, you can head on past the break for an interview with Terrafugia co-founder Samuel Schweighart courtesy of AVweb.
