Terrafugia Transition

The Tarrafugia Transition is a flying car that coming from the United States manufacturer Terrafugia. It lifted on March 3, 2009 from the first flight.

History

The idea of ​​transition is to combine the advantages of an aircraft with those of a car. By the will of the developer, however should no more airworthy automotive occur, but specifically a " roadable aircraft", so the emphasis is on the use as an aircraft. For this purpose, founded 2006, three pilots Carl Dietrich, Anna Racek -Dietrich and Samual Schweighard who had met at MIT, the company Terrafugia ( Latin for escape from the Earth). The first flight of the proof of concept was held at the Plattsburgh Airport in upstate New York with a retired colonel in the Air Force Phil Meteer on board on March 18, 2009. The flying car has been designed so that it can be operated with the applicable U.S. LSA pilot's license, which can be purchased from just 20 flight hours.

Construction

Although the transition is made largely of carbon- fiber reinforced plastic, the weight limit for light sport aircraft could not be maintained. Because of safety equipment such as airbags and a roll cage, it is around 600 kg 55 kg about it. Thanks to a special permit, the operation is still possible. The 76 kW (104 hp) Rotax 912S piston engine ensures a mounted behind the hull pressure screw for a cruising speed in flight of 185 km / h Thanks electrically collapsible stock wing and four wheels, the flying car can also be used on the road; the land-based speed reaches 105 km / h so that the transition is highway capable. The takeoff distance on a firm runway is about 500 m.

Terrafugia Transition with the doors closed and folded wings frontal

Terrafugia Transition with the doors closed and folded wings in an oblique view

Terrafugia Transition unfold when the wing

Terrafugia Transition with open wings

Marketing

The transition should go in the course of 2012 into mass production after completion of the extensive regulatory approval test. For a 1,800 square meter hall was rented. There should be many pre-orders that had to be backed each with $ 10,000 down payment. Terrafugia has called in June 2011 as the date of delivery of the first series specimens December 2012, the price was estimated at $ 279,000. Currently ( August 2013 ) no specific information delivery.

Terrafugia sees the application of the transition at the many private and commercial pilots in the U.S. and in other countries with similar structure. The transition could land on most of the more than 5,000 small and Sport airfields in the USA. Aerodromes with heavy passenger traffic or heavy-load air spaces are unsuitable for small aircraft.

Specifications

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