Flying car – From ground to air [photos]
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A Massachusetts-based start-up called Terrafugia has released new mock-ups and a scale model of the Transition, which it calls a “roadable aircraft” but which most people will know better as a flying car.
The Terrafugia Transition is classified as a light sport aircraft, but has been allowed an extra 110 pounds of weight by the Federal Aviation Administration to make room for more auto safety features like airbags and a structural cage.
New modifications to Terrafugia’s Transition “roadable aircraft” include an improved cockpit interface.
At just 19 feet long and 6 feet, 9 inches tall, the Terrafugia Transition is meant to be compact enough for suburban life.
The Terrafugia Transition needs a runway for takeoff, which means that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) isn’t interested. The Department of Defense division is in search of someone to develop a flying car that doesn’t require a runway.
Terrafugia’s Transition successfully completed a test flight last year near Plattsburgh International Airport in New York–distance and time not disclosed–that led to a recent set of improvements to bring it closer to market.
