NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Terrafugia Transition

The notion of combining car and plane isn’t exactly new – as a few crackpot contraptions over the years have attempted to meld the two – but this could be the most credible take on the theme.

Pictured alongside is the Terrafugia Transition Street-Legal Airplane, which debuts at this week’s New York motor show, and could be on sale within a year (at an estimated price of $US279,000).

The prototype has completed its first test flight (watch the video here), and its Massachusetts-based creator says this brings it a step closer to having the flying car on the market within the next year.

The miniscule 650kg car-plane is propelled by a 75kW Rotax 912S engine, enabling it to hit a dizzying 112km/h on the road and 185km/h in the air. It’s equipped with an 87-litre fuel tank and burns a modest 19 litres per hour in the air, while on the ground it consumes 6.7L/100km.

Making the transition from car to plane (or the other way around) can allegedly be accomplished in under half an hour, with the wings deploying or folding up at the press of a button.

The Transition has two seats and can be driven like a conventional car on the road. As for flying, the prototype flew at 1400 feet (427m) for eight minutes during its maiden test flight.

According to US reports, as many as 100 would-be buyers have put down a $10,000 deposit to purchase a Transition when it eventually goes on the market.

The vehicle is currently being subjected to a raft of automotive crash tests to make sure it meets federal safety standards, and six phases of flight testing are scheduled to certify that it meets aviation safety standards.

Its task of meeting the latter will be facilitated by the introduction five years ago of separate standards for light sport aircraft. These standards dictate the size and speed of the plane and licensing requirements for pilots, which are far less restrictive than requirements for pilots of larger planes.

Just 20 hours of flying time will allegedly enable owners to fly their Transition – less than half the flying time required for a private pilot’s licence in most countries.

Although many companies and individuals have tried to conceive a flying car over the past 80 or so years, Terrafugia’s creation is arguably the closest thing yet to a commercially viable proposition.

The US, in particular, has been touted as a likely market, enabling owners to fly instead of driving on long interstate trips.

Later in the day we will have a full report on the Terrafugia Transition from our man in NY, Feann Torr. Stay tuned.

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