A Woburn, Massachusetts company, Terrafugia, has received an FAA exemption, allowing it to build the first flying car. The Terrafugia Transition® is a prototype vehicle designed by 5 MIT graduates. The wings unfold in about 7 minutes and it is estimated that it will cost $194,000. The company reports that it has already received 70 pre-orders with $10,000 deposits, representing an order backlog of $14 million. .
The Transition by Terrafugia is a roadable aircraft, an airplane that can take off and land from any airport, and with the push of a button fold up its wings and drive down the road. They claim that you can become a sport pilot in as little as 20 hours of flight time in a Transition® - specific course and that existing pilots can get comfortable quickly with the familiarization training included with every Transition® delivery. The plane runs on unleaded automotive gasoline. They say it is perfect for trips between 100 and 400 miles but is not meant to replace anyone's automobile. The company points out that the Transition® reduces the cost of ownership of an airplane by burning automotive gasoline, parking in your garage at home instead of renting a hangar, and nearly eliminating ground transportation costs.
Terrafugia was founded in 2006 by award-winning MIT-trained aeronautical engineers who also happen to be passionate private pilots. The company's stated mission is to provide innovative solutions to the challenges facing personal aviation. The result: The Transition® Street Legal Airplane (also called a Roadable Aircraft or "flying car").
Taking advantage of new FAA regulations in the Light Sport Aircraft category, Terrafugia developed the Transition® to provide pilots the convenience of a dual-purpose vehicle. Its unique design allows the Transition® to fold its wings and drive on any surface road with a modern personal airplane platform. Once at the airport, the wings extend and the aircraft is ready for take-off. Both folding and extending the wings is done from inside the cockpit.
The Transition® addresses head-on the issues private and sports pilots face: cost, weather sensitivity, high overall door-to-door travel time and a lack of mobility at destination.
The first full scale driving and flying vehicle built in the Transition® development program occurred on March 5, 2009 at Plattsburgh International Airport in Plattsburgh, NY. A successful flight test program followed. Construction, testing and certification of the Production Prototype are underway.
Details of this next generation design are scheduled to be unveiled in July 2010. First customer delivery of a Transition® Street Legal Airplane is expected to occur in Q4 2011. Following first delivery, manufacturing volume will be steadily increased with 300-400 vehicles being delivered annually after five years. This will support in excess of 400 skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs.
To date, Terrafugia remains privately funded by a sophisticated group of accredited investors. The company is based just outside of Boston in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA.
Reservations are being offered online. http://www.terrafugia.com/order.html
I can't afford one of these right now but if anyone from Chino Hills buys one of these, I want a ride! :-)
Company Information:
Terrafugia Inc. | 5 Cranes Court | Woburn, MA 01801 | T: +1-781-491-0812 | F: +1-781-491-0282 | www.terrafugia.com
Sources: http://www.terrafugia.com/TransitionSpecs.pdf
