Flying Car To Make Its Auto Show Debut In New York

One of the more interesting entries in next week's New York Auto Show, will be a modern day "flying car"  built by Massachusetts based Tarrafugia, Inc.  The roadable aircraft, called the Transition, is moving closer to being a commercially available product - something Tarrafugia hopes to accomplish by the end of the year. Displaying at the auto show, Tarrafugia is reportedly looking to bring awareness of the Transition to a wider audience outside the aviation community and to attract potential customers and investors.

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Even though the Transition has been dubbed a "flying car" it is actually an aircraft that can be driven legally and safely on the roadways.   So you won't necessarily take off and fly your way out of the frustration of a traffic jam, but it's more likely you will be able to fly home from your weekend destination or business trip and then drive from the landing strip to your home's driveway or garage.  The Transition lives up to it's name with the push of a couple of buttons from inside the cockpit that cause the wings to fold up in less than 30 seconds.


With four wheel independent suspension, a long wheel base and relatively low center of gravity the Transition is reported to have good stability and handling on the road. The Transition runs on unleaded gasoline - a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to aviation fuel.  The control panels are designed to be intuitive and easy to use with touch screen responsiveness and one single GPS system that combines both road maps and aviation charts.  Safety features include pilot and passenger airbags, crumple zones and a safety cage - a first for any aircraft.  Another safety advantage includes the ability during severe weather to find the closest airport with the GPS, land the aircraft and continue the journey on the ground. However, if things get really dire, it is also equipped with a parachute designed for carrying the weight of the entire vehicle.

The Transition is classified as a Light Sport Aircraft by the FAA and will require a Sport Pilot license to fly. The base price is anticipated to be around $279,000 with a $10,000 refundable deposit to reserve one.






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