World's First Flying Car, More Closer To Reality

As we had reported earlier, the Massachusets start-up Terrafugia's Transition "flying car" is well on its way to become available soon and there have been a few improvements such as those in the cockpit interface to make it as easier to drive on the road as it would be to fly it in the air.

 

While being classified as a light sport aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration has allowed an extra 110 pounds weight for car safety features such as airbags and structural cage. The Terrafugia transition still needs a runway for takeoff and landing, therefore making it uninteresting for Defence Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The DARPA are actually interested in something that can take off right off the highway, without a runway, something with a Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL). The "flying car is just 19 feet long and 6 feet 9 inches tall, thus still quite a bit larger than a car. A successful test flight has already been completed by the Transition near Plattsburgh International Airport in New York last year, thus it is closer to reaching the market than before. Here are a few new photographs of the Terrafugia Transition. For more information, read the CNET News article by Caroline McCarthy.

 

Credit: CNET News