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Woburn, MA - World’s First Flying Car Prepares For Take-Off |
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If it survives its first test flight, the Terrafugia Transition, which can transform itself from a two-seater road car to a plane in 15 seconds, is expected to land in showrooms in about 18 months’ time.
Its manufacturer says it is easy to keep and run since it uses normal unleaded fuel and will fit into a garage.
Carl Dietrich, who runs the Massachusetts-based Terrafugia, said: “This is the first really integrated design where the wings fold up automatically and all the parts are in one vehicle.”
Terrafugia claims it will be able to fly up to 500 miles on a single tank of petrol at a cruising speed of 115mph. Up to now, however, it has been tested only on roads at up to 90mph.
Dietrich said he had already received 40 orders, despite an expected retail price of $200,000.
“For an airplane that’s very reasonable, but for a car that’s very much at the high end,” he conceded.
There are still one or two drawbacks. Getting insurance may be a little tricky and finding somewhere to take off may not be straightforward: the only place in the US in which it is legal to take off from a road is Alaska.
Dietrich is optimistic. He said: “In the long term we have the potential to make air travel practical for individuals at a price that would meet or beat driving, with huge time savings.”
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Read Comments (28) — Post Yours »
1
Jan 11, 2009 at 11:26 AM Yoni Says:
OMG!!!! What an invention!
2
Jan 11, 2009 at 11:38 AM Yonason Says:
Nice, but not the first. There was the "Aerocar" in the early 60s. It was hyped as the car of the future, as if we'd all be flying our cars - On a recent trip to Seattle I saw one at the excellent aviation museum they have at Boeing Field.
3
Jan 11, 2009 at 11:37 AM Use Your Head Says:
Flying in a small aircraft of any kind is very dangerous, statistically. All the more so this one!
4
Jan 11, 2009 at 11:51 AM Anonymous Says:
wow..i always dreamed speeding 95mph on the NYS Thruway and being chased by a Trooper and just fly off in front of him..for $200,000 i think i better stay in the speed zone...
5
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:04 PM Anonymous Says:
I was wondering if this thing actually takes off, dont you think the TSA would ban this kind of concept? Can you imagine terrorist getting their hands on this and loading it with explosives and just saying hi one day to the empire state building? I think that with all the dangers terrorists pose to us, its better this kind of innovation stays put on the ground and not made into a reality
6
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:25 PM Anonymous Says:
hmmmmmmm Interesting.
Are we gonna have to wear helmets just in case it stalls mid-air and falls on my head. Or how about if two of them have a fender-bender and pieces start falling on our heads.
I still would like to get one of them once the price is right..
7
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:23 PM Biff Says:
Time to buy a Gray's Sports Almanac..........
8
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:11 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Flying in a small aircraft of any kind is very dangerous, statistically. All the more so this one! ”
that's what they said when the first car came out
9
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:01 PM Bailout Says:
Talk about Bailout for the Auto Industry?
No wonder!
If they have nothing better to invent than such impractical nonsense that no one can use, especially in this economy?
10
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:06 PM Use Your Head Says:
“ that's what they said when the first car came out ”
Right, and you do realize that small planes have been around for over a century now, I hope.
11
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:23 PM Anonymous Says:
I dont understand the bail out to the auto industry, if nobody is gonna buy the cars, why do they need a bail out . they should give a bail out to the people to be able to buy the cars.
12
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:48 PM Anonymous Says:
Grat Idea
13
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:45 PM YOELI Says:
With this I can leave for the mountains minutes before Shabbos!
14
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:35 PM Anonymous Says:
Can you imagine the traffic in the sky? at least we won't need umbrellas wen raining, but how will i get a sun tan?
15
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:09 PM NOT Dangerous Says:
“ Flying in a small aircraft of any kind is very dangerous, statistically. All the more so this one! ”
I have had my Pilot's License for over 20 years. There is NOTHING less safe about small planes. That is just a myth told by the airlines because they do not like to share airspace with us. They do not like that once in the pattern we are equal.
It is like a bus company saying cars are unsafe, so they can have the roads to themselves.
True, every time there is an accident or incident, it makes the news. But that does not make it dangerous. One large passenger jet can kill more people in one wreck than years worth of general aviation deaths.
Actually, passenger cars are MUCH more dangerous than small planes.
Most small plane accidents are caused by the same crap you see in cars. Drunk or intoxicated pilots. Idiots who did not bother to check their fuel or weather. Weather is number one. EVERY pilot knows to check the weather and if the weather is not on par with his certified skill level and the plane's equipment level, you stay on the ground.
But, just like with cars, if you get an idiot who thinks he is indestructable, and flies into weather for which is he not qualified.... well, there is no way to keep morons like that alive. Hate to say it, but maybe this will stop them from reproducing more morons.
16
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:31 PM S. M. Rubash Says:
If you own one of these, you won't get bail...you are a flight risk.
17
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:17 PM Anonymous Says:
“ If you own one of these, you won't get bail...you are a flight risk. ”
I am still laughing. Thank you... (smile)
18
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:33 PM John Says:
“ I was wondering if this thing actually takes off, dont you think the TSA would ban this kind of concept? Can you imagine terrorist getting their hands on this and loading it with explosives and just saying hi one day to the empire state building? I think that with all the dangers terrorists pose to us, its better this kind of innovation stays put on the ground and not made into a reality ”
Its no more dangerous than a small / light aircraft. For your information, the Empire State building sustained a crash from a plane (i dont recall now if it was in the 50's or another date) but the people on the other side of the same floor didnt even notice something happened. This invention will not even be considered by terrorists. You seem to have been terrorized just by their propaganda.
I am sure in order to fly one of these things, one would need a pilots license. I think it is a great idea for those who have a pilot license already - just take the car out for a spin, reach the open road / runway & continue flying!!! It will never make it to a big city - no one would want to sit in traffic if they can fly above it & no city authority will let these things fly over a city.
19
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:51 PM Ed Greenberg Says:
I think it's important to note that this is meant to take off from an airport, not from the Thruway. I do not expect that the wings would be built to deploy while it is travelling at speed.
It's a pretty cool concept, since one of the main difficulties in private flying is getting around after you've landed at the distant airport.
20
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:43 PM Bloomy Says:
the mayor would have a field day with all the new taxes and fees he would come up with.
21
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:55 PM my favorite Martian Says:
“ I think it's important to note that this is meant to take off from an airport, not from the Thruway. I do not expect that the wings would be built to deploy while it is travelling at speed.
It's a pretty cool concept, since one of the main difficulties in private flying is getting around after you've landed at the distant airport.
”
distant airport?, how about when it lands on a distant planet!
22
Jan 11, 2009 at 06:26 PM Anonymous Says:
amazing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but does anyone know when it'll take off ????????????????????
23
Jan 11, 2009 at 07:32 PM Anonymous Says:
“ With this I can leave for the mountains minutes before Shabbos! ”
Not really. You would still need to drive to an airport. The closest one to Brooklyn would be Linden, NJ or Teeterborough, NJ, then you would be flying to an airport up there.
Probably better to take your car.
This is not really a great thing for the average NYer.
But, to me here in FL it would be great.
The hardest part of private aviation, is that we drive to the airport, take our plane out of the hangar which we pay hundreds of dollars a month to rent, park our car where the plane was.
Then we fly were we are going, and have to pay to hangar or tie down the airplane until we are ready to return home. Then we need to rent a car to get around.
This invention would eliminate the tie-down/hangar fees at both ends, and the inconvenience of having to drive back home to our home airport to get our plane. It will be with us wherever we go.
But, as much fun as these things look, they are seldom great inventions. A machine which is made to be a car, is probably a better car, and a machine made to be an airplane is probably a better airplane.
Only a few, those who need to have the lastest toys will buy it. But that is enough to keep the maker in business.
I will stick to driving to my local airport FBO and renting a simple plane. Cheaper in the long run.
24
Jan 11, 2009 at 06:14 PM Anonymous Says:
“ distant airport?, how about when it lands on a distant planet! ”
now we know what all the flying saucers and ufo are.
25
Jan 11, 2009 at 11:04 PM Anonymous Says:
cool............... can't wait!!!
26
Jan 11, 2009 at 11:43 PM dreamer Says:
“ If you own one of these, you won't get bail...you are a flight risk. ”
is this the new ufo? Will people call it that? I wonder how long it will work? On the other hand who will check baggage/ Could you imagine flying across another city state not needing to check baggage? there are loads of questions with this one. It is also fun to use the
imagination.
27
Jan 12, 2009 at 12:30 AM Anonymous Says:
“ Nice, but not the first. There was the "Aerocar" in the early 60s. It was hyped as the car of the future, as if we'd all be flying our cars - On a recent trip to Seattle I saw one at the excellent aviation museum they have at Boeing Field. ”
Actually the last aerocar was built in 1960. The first being built in 1949. This is the kind of toy rich people like millionaire, world aerospace record holder, Steve Fossett would have bought... if he hadn't been killed in a small plane crash.
28
Jan 12, 2009 at 12:30 AM Anonymous Says:
“ Flying in a small aircraft of any kind is very dangerous, statistically. All the more so this one! ”
The only equivalent formula to equate planes and cars is fatalities per 100,000 person miles traveled. Airplanes are way ahead of cars in safety per person/mile traveled. That is not counting the safety and redundancy of many aircraft systems, A hydraulic, B hydraulic, emergency hydraulic, etc. If all the engines and batteries on a major airliner fail, a little door opens on the side of the plane and a "RAT" =rapid air turbine juts into the airstream and a wind driven generator delivers electric power to minimum instruments, communications and hydraulic components to maintain control of the aircraft. Look up "gimbly glider" for more info.
-SEL, IFR, A&P, IA. If you don't know what that means, you are not a plane person.