Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Terrafugia Transition flying car? Just add a mosquito laser and I'm there

HS Daily Wire has been pretty cool lately. First we have the laser that kills mosquitoes, and now we have this:

Massachusetts-based Terrafugia flight-tests its Terrafugia Transition, the world's first proper flying car (or "roadable aircraft" as the company prefers to call it)...

Last month (4 February 2009 HS Daily Wire) we wrote about a company called Tarrafugia, established by MIT alumni to produce a flying car. The Terrafugia Transition "roadable aircraft" has just made its first test flight. Terrafugia says that the flight took place on 5 March....

The Transition has most of the weaknesses of light aircraft, in that it can not easily be flown through poor weather, bad visibility, or restricted airspace (as found above cities, for instance). Users needing to get through such obstacles will need to land at a suitable strip nearby, just as a normal private pilot in a Piper Tomahawk might.

The difference is what happens next. The Transition driver has no concern with finding an aircraft parking spot, getting hold of taxi, or renting a car. Instead, he or she presses a button. The wings fold up in less than thirty seconds, and the Transition drives out of the airport gate and makes the rest of the journey by road. If the weather gets worse and a takeoff for the return flight is impossible, no bother -- simply drive home on the ground, all the way if necessary.


More at HS Daily Wire, which links to other sources.
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