The dream of a flying car just got one step closer to reality after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved a hybrid ground-to-air vehicle that can fly at speeds of 100 mph.
The Terrafugia Transition received a Special Light-Sport Aircraft Airworthiness Certificate from the agency, giving the go-ahead for takeoff.
A flight version of the craft is now available to pilots and flight schools, although it will take another year for the auto parts to be ‘street legal’ – it still has to meet road safety standards.
Ultimately, drivers will be able to switch from flying to driving, taking off and landing at small airports or on the highway in less than a minute.
Terrafugia hopes to have production and approvals of the two-seat hybrid by 2022, but those who want to take it for a ride will need both a driver’s license and a sports pilot’s certificate.
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The FAA has approved Terrafugia’s Transition, a “flying car” capable of flying at speeds of 100 mph and an altitude of 10,000 feet. Flight-only models are now available and the full air-land version is expected in 2022
Terrafugia, owned by China, has been overly optimistic about delivering a ‘roadable plane’, a small plane with retractable wings that can travel on roads as well as fly out into the open.
It first promised that the Transition would be on sale in 2015, then 2018, and then 2019.
But Terrafugia CEO Kevin Colburn praised his team’s efforts during “an extremely challenging pandemic year.”
“Our team stayed focused, improved our quality system, completed critical aspects of the design, built the vehicle, completed 80 days of flight tests, delivered 150 technical documents, and successfully passed the FAA audit,” said Colburn.
The Transition has a 27-foot wide wingspan, but the wings fold up for easy storytelling in a single-car garage. Terrafugia envisions owners landing at a small airport or a stretch of highway and then driving their vehicle home
“This is a significant achievement that will boost our mission to deliver the world’s first practical flying car. ‘
WHAT IS THE TERRAFUGIA TRANSITION?
The Terrafugia transition has recently been granted a special certificate of airworthiness for light sport aircraft from the FAA.
The aircraft, which weighs approximately 1,300 pounds, has fixed landing gear and fold-out wings.
It can reach speeds of 100 mph and heights of about 10,000 feet.
Owners need both a driver’s license and a sports pilot’s certificate.
Powered by a 100 hp Rotax 912iS Sport fuel injection engine, the Transition has a maximum flight speed of 160 km / h and a range of approximately 400 miles, with an altitude of 10,000 feet.
The aircraft engine can run on premium gasoline or 100 liters of jet fuel, while the car is powered by a hybrid electric motor.
Standard features include four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, a rigid carbon fiber safety cage and an airframe parachute.
The vehicle weighs about 1,300 pounds and has fixed landing gear and a 27-foot wide wingspan.
The wings actually fold up for easy storage in a single car garage.
Terrafugia envisions owners landing their transition at a small airport or a stretch of highway and then driving it home.
That’s different from flying car prototypes developed by Uber, Kitty Hawk, BMW and others, where the vehicles take up commercial airspace.
According to Terrafugia, the vehicle changes from flying to driving in less than a minute.
In 2018, the two-seat transition cost $ 400,000, NBC News reported.
Terrafugia develops several models of flying cars, including the four-seater TF-X, a hybrid electric four-seater with vertical take-off and landing capabilities.
The TF-X is planned to be semi-autonomous, with computer controls that allow passengers to easily type in their destination.
It will be able to avoid air traffic, bad weather and restricted airspace automatically.
Terrafugia was acquired in 2017 by the Chinese company Geely, the parent company of Volvo.