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The dream of the flying car has come closer to reality, after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved a ground-to-air hybrid vehicle that can fly at 100 mph.
Terrafugia Transition received the agency’s special Light Sports certificate of airworthiness, giving it the green light to take off.
An aeronautical version is now only available to pilots and flight schools, although another year had passed before his car’s components were “legal on the streets” – it still has to meet safety standards road.
Ultimately, drivers will be able to go from flying to driving in less than a minute, and take off and land at smaller airports or on the highway.
Terrafugia hopes to get production and approvals for the two-seater hybrid car, completed by 2022, but those who wish to try it out will need a driver’s license and sports driver certification.
Chinese owner Terrafugia was overly optimistic about the delivery of a “working aircraft”, a small retractable-wing aircraft that can fly on the road and fly in the open.
He first promised that the move would be for sale in 2015, then in 2018 and finally in 2019.
But Terrafugia Managing Director Kevin Colburn praised his team’s efforts during an “extremely difficult epidemic year”.
“Our team stayed focused, improved our quality system, completed critical design aspects, built the car, performed 80 days of flight testing, handed over 150 technical documents and passed the FAA audit. This is a major achievement that gives momentum to transport. our mission to deliver the first vehicle, “said Colburn. A practical aircraft in the world.”
Powered by the 100 hp Rotax 912iS Sport gasoline engine, the Transition has a top flight speed of 100 mph and a range of nearly 400 miles, with an altitude of 10,000 feet.
The aircraft engine can be powered by either premium gasoline or 100 liter kerosene, while the car is powered by a hybrid electric motor.
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Standard features include: hydraulic four-wheel disc brakes, a strong carbon fiber roll cage and an airframe canopy. The car has a fixed landing gear and a wingspan of 27 feet wide.
The fenders fold out for easy storage in a one-car garage.
Terrafugia envisions owners of their public transport vehicles landing at a small airport or along a highway and driving them home.
This differs from the flying car prototypes developed by Uber, Kitty Hawk, BMW and others, which include vehicles operating in commercial airspace.
The car goes from theft to driving in less than a minute, according to Terrafugia.
Terrafugia is developing several models of flying cars, including the four-seat TF-X, a four-seat plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with vertical take-off and landing capabilities.
The TF-X should be semi-autonomous, with PC controls. It can automatically avoid air traffic, bad weather and restricted airspace.
Terrafugia was acquired by Chinese company Geely, Volvo’s parent company, in 2017.
Source: Daily Mail
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