Stuck in a traffic No problem, if you’re driving the Terrafugia Transition Roadable Aircraft. Nicknamed the “Flying Car,” the vehicle is equally adapt at flying just as it is designed to cruise on public roadways.
The car-plane was recently granted a weight exemption by the Federation Aviation Administration (FAA), allowing its maker Terrafugia, to add airbags, an energy absorbing crumple zone and a protective safety cage aimed at road safety. FFA said the vehicle is 110 pounds overweight to accommodate the safety measures but said it may be sold as long as buyers are made aware of it.
The prototype is capable of an air cruising speed of 115mph – rivaling most light sport aircraft in speed – and the vehicle’s owner just needs 20 hours of flying time to be eligible for manning the vehicle in air. The vehicle runs on regular unleaded gas and can cover about 400 miles before the gas tank becomes empty. On land, the vehicle can get 40 miles to the gallon. And yes, the vehicle needs 2500 feet stretch of runway to take-off and land.
Terrafugia said the two-seater flying car can be parked easily in a standard garage and its wings wings fold up in less than 30 seconds.
The company said it has already received 70 orders for the vehicle and the flying car is expected to hit the road/air around end-2011 and will cost around $194,000 – not a very expensive toy for millionaires and billionaires who’d like to take it out for a short jaunt.