Thread: Flying Car

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Ah, the old Terrafugia trick!

While it's not vaporware like Moller's perennial money-sucking sham, the cost and restrictions have reduced it to nothing more than a novelty:

1. Must take off and land at an approved airport or landing strip.

2. $250,000

Gee, Wally! For that price I can afford an aircraft (C-172) which travels at 20% greater velocity, and have plenty left over for rental cars for the next couple of decades.

By the way, the model is called the Transition. Terrafugia is simply the company. Here are it's basic stats: "flight range of 425 nmi (489 mi; 787 km) using automotive grade unleaded gasoline and a cruising flight speed of 107 mph" - Source

Pros: One doesn't have to transfer the luggage to another vehicle.

Cons:

- Several times more expensive than comparable aircraft (C-172)

- Several times more expensive than comparable automobiles.

- Half the useful load of comparable aircraft.

- Half the pax capacity of comparable aircraft (2, vs a 172's 4)

- Half the fuel capacity and range of comparable aircraft.

- Classified as a light-sport aircraft, not a real aircraft (serious limitations on how far one can legally fly it from home station).

- Not IFR-certified

- Cruise is only 100 kts. That's slow!

Then again, it is the "Transition," and as such, several FAA waivers were granted as Terrafugia works out the kinks. Even so, until they get the price down to $100k or lower for the non-IFR certified model, it'll never "fly" (be successful from a business point of view).

If I had $250,000 to spend, I'd buy a Velocity XL-RG with a fully-IFR-certified glass cockpit! At 187 kts, I'd be arriving at my destination in my rental car by the time the "Transition" lands at the airport.

Is that as a kit, or would you pay to have it built?