2012 New York: Terrafugia Transition – The Plane That Drives THIS “flying car” idea just might get off the ground (har har), but Terrafugia cautions us not to call the Transition a flying car, but rather a “drivable airplane.” That’s because its airplane-ness trumps its car-ness everywhere that matters. For example, in order for the FAA to certify the plane to fly, its engine must be certified for aviation duty. Hence, it gets a 100-hp Rotax 912ULS, an air-cooled boxer-four that is rated to run on 91-octane or better pump gas using two Bing constant-depression (CD) carburetors. They probably don’t pass CARB emissions regs, but classifying the Transition as a multipurpose vehicle, not a car, sidesteps those regs. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
2012 New York: Terrafugia Transition – The Plane That Drives
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| 2012 New York: Terrafugia Transition – The Plane That Drives |
2012 New York: Terrafugia Transition – The Plane That Drives
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| 2012 New York: Terrafugia Transition – The Plane That Drives |
2012 New York: Terrafugia Transition – The Plane That Drives
Terrafugia’s exuberant 30-something co-founder, CEO and Chief Technical Officer, MIT PhD Aero/Astro engineer Carl Dietrich started saving up for his pilot’s license at age 8, and became licensed in his teens. His vision for Terrafugia is to make flying easier and cheaper so that more people can enjoy the feeling of freedom it brings. The idea sprang from a September 2004 FAA ruling that introduced a new Light Sport Aircraft classification that could be flown with a Sport Pilot’s license, which is considerably cheaper and easier to obtain, requiring only 20 hours of formal instruction (28-32 is more typical, at a cost of $3500-$4500). Pilots so licensed are only allowed to fly during daylight hours under visual-flight-rules (VFR) conditions.
Terrafugia flying car in front of house 300x187 imageThe other barriers to sport flying are weather related. It’s difficult to decide to fly somewhere if you can’t be certain the weather will be good enough to make it or make your return. Further complicating issues is the fact that of the 5000 public-use airports nationwide, a large percentage of them have no ground-transportation infrastructure—no rental cars, taxi stands, etc. But what if you could just land, drive the plane out to the highway, and continue your journey? That’d be a plane you could rely on to get you where you’re going.
It’s certainly not a car you’d choose for the journey however. The Transition is rated for a 1430-pound gross takeoff weight (up from the 1320 that is typical for light, sport aircraft), and the carbon-fiber-intensive vehicle weighs just 970 pounds empty. Fill the 23-gallon tank and you’ve taken on 140 or so of your 460-pound useful load, leaving precious little left for people and stuff. The morbidly obese need not apply. There is no air conditioning system, though one is planned for the future—if you dare whittle away at the useful load.
How does it work? The Rotax spins a carbon-fiber driveshaft that heads back to the pusher propeller. For road duty, a power-takeoff near the propeller routes the twist through a belt-type CVT, down through some half-shafts to a trailing-arm suspension with belt-drive to the faired in rear wheels. There’s a traditional steering wheel and four pedals on the floor—gas and brake in the middle, flanked by rudder pedals. A joystick deploys between the driver’s legs, and throttle control is via a center-mounted control when flying. Power-to-weight is certainly sporty as cars go, and distribution is near 50/50. The long wheelbase and wide track lend stability, though the 80-inch height may contribute a tippy feel and the tires certainly are skinny.
Terrafugia flying car rear view 300x187 imageSafety equipment includes front and side airbags, a carbon-fiber crash safety cell and crumple zones, and a full-vehicle parachute that deploys from the nose if something goes badly wrong at an altitude above 500 feet or so. No physical crash tests have been performed, but extensive computer modeling has satisfied NHTSA requirements.
Priced at $279,000, it’s certainly not the dearest vehicle on the Javits Center show floor, and the open question Terrafugia is hoping to begin to answer at auto shows like this is: How many non-pilots will be drawn to the skies by a plane and licensing system that’s this accessible? Production of the first 10 Premiere Edition Transitions is expected to take place in Massachusetts during 2013, and there’s an auto-show special on right now that allows you to reserve your Terrafugia Transition for just $2500, down from the typical $10,000 deposit. Call now, operators standing by! 781-491-0812, www.DrivenToFly.com
Terrafugia flying car in front of house 300x187 imageThe other barriers to sport flying are weather related. It’s difficult to decide to fly somewhere if you can’t be certain the weather will be good enough to make it or make your return. Further complicating issues is the fact that of the 5000 public-use airports nationwide, a large percentage of them have no ground-transportation infrastructure—no rental cars, taxi stands, etc. But what if you could just land, drive the plane out to the highway, and continue your journey? That’d be a plane you could rely on to get you where you’re going.
It’s certainly not a car you’d choose for the journey however. The Transition is rated for a 1430-pound gross takeoff weight (up from the 1320 that is typical for light, sport aircraft), and the carbon-fiber-intensive vehicle weighs just 970 pounds empty. Fill the 23-gallon tank and you’ve taken on 140 or so of your 460-pound useful load, leaving precious little left for people and stuff. The morbidly obese need not apply. There is no air conditioning system, though one is planned for the future—if you dare whittle away at the useful load.
How does it work? The Rotax spins a carbon-fiber driveshaft that heads back to the pusher propeller. For road duty, a power-takeoff near the propeller routes the twist through a belt-type CVT, down through some half-shafts to a trailing-arm suspension with belt-drive to the faired in rear wheels. There’s a traditional steering wheel and four pedals on the floor—gas and brake in the middle, flanked by rudder pedals. A joystick deploys between the driver’s legs, and throttle control is via a center-mounted control when flying. Power-to-weight is certainly sporty as cars go, and distribution is near 50/50. The long wheelbase and wide track lend stability, though the 80-inch height may contribute a tippy feel and the tires certainly are skinny.
Terrafugia flying car rear view 300x187 imageSafety equipment includes front and side airbags, a carbon-fiber crash safety cell and crumple zones, and a full-vehicle parachute that deploys from the nose if something goes badly wrong at an altitude above 500 feet or so. No physical crash tests have been performed, but extensive computer modeling has satisfied NHTSA requirements.
Priced at $279,000, it’s certainly not the dearest vehicle on the Javits Center show floor, and the open question Terrafugia is hoping to begin to answer at auto shows like this is: How many non-pilots will be drawn to the skies by a plane and licensing system that’s this accessible? Production of the first 10 Premiere Edition Transitions is expected to take place in Massachusetts during 2013, and there’s an auto-show special on right now that allows you to reserve your Terrafugia Transition for just $2500, down from the typical $10,000 deposit. Call now, operators standing by! 781-491-0812, www.DrivenToFly.com
