VIDEO AT LINK....................
Posted on 06/04/2014 10:07:38 AM PDT by Red Badger
The idea of a flying car might seem like something out of a science fiction novel, but it may soon become a reality.
All it'll take is about $30 million in funding and some patience.
Terrafugia, a Woburn manufacturer of flying cars has been working on its vehicles for almost eight years. The MIT-born company has been working on two kinds of cars: the Transition, which is scheduled to be released in mid-2016 and can fly at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour at up to 10,000 feet in the air; and the TF-X, a semi-autonomous plug-in hybrid vehicle which is currently in conceptual design phase and can take off and land vertically and can fly at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. The TF-X does not have a price tag yet and will take about 8 to 12 years before it's a reality.
The Transition, now in its third and final prototype, requires a driver to have a sport pilot certificate, meaning about total 20 hours of training. Already, 100 customers have pre-ordered the vehicles, which have a total price tag of $279,000. That's almost $30 million in pre-orders.
Terrafugia CEO Carl Dietrich said the average customer is retired or semi-retired. They're also interested in the vehicle for recreational purposes, he said. Or they fit in another category entirely.
"Many were promised a flying car when they were younger and now they can get one," said Dietrich.
It hasn't been an easy road for Terrafugia or its promise of flying cars.
In 2010, the Boston Herald reported that the Federal Aviation Administration granted the company an exemption from rules that allow a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds for the Transition. That's 110 pounds above the limit for the FAA's light sport aircraft category. The Herald also reported the car would be in production in 18 months — that was almost four years ago. Last year, the vehicle made its first public flight.
Dietrich said a few things had to happen before the company could start production. First, the company needs to raise more money. By Dietrich's estimates, another $30 million, which would be in addition to the nearly $13 million its already raised from various angel investors. It's also got to successfully complete its final prototyping phase.
Last month, Terrafugia brought on Alex Min, previously vice president of business development at Textron Defense Systems, as its chief marketing and sales officer. Dietrich said Min's main task in the coming months will be secure more capital for the company, which has about two-dozen employees and will most likely hire more in the coming years as it ramps up for production.
Dietrich said that four years after the Transition officially launches, the company could generate $100 million to $200 million in sales, according to its own projections.
"It's a very exciting time for the company right now," said Dietrich. "We really do see Terrafugia as the next Tesla."
VIDEO AT LINK....................
Saw this at Oshkosh last year. Interesting concept, that might actually sell.
Can you just imagine all the morons now that don’t need to be on the road, being in the air...
Unfortunately you can’t even pilot a remote control five pound drone at 1000’ without being a terrorist these days. Something tells me that Uncle Fred avoiding a traffic jam in a crowded city (class B airspace) in his flying car will fall under the same label.
I’m still waiting for my Moller Skycar, silver unitard, and visibly larger brain.
It would sure cut down wear and tear on highways and bridges. Be kinda tough on toll road revenues too.
In other words, planes.
I suppose it will come to pass, but you have to wonder how the formidable problems of traffic control (eventually) and separation from normal aviation will be handled without a massive unaffordable bureaucracy. Oh right we’ve already got one sitting around, finally something for them to do!
Excellent.
The liability insurance on those babies will exceed any real value of such vehicle. Just go buy a Cesna 172 and use courtesy cars from the FBO’s you purchase your fuel from.
....and texting while flying...............
The only way flying cars will EVER be viable is three techs will be needed.
1. Compact Portable and SAFE Electrical power source, ie, portable fusion, or ZPE of whatever.
2. Anti-Gravity type propulsion that is cheap and compact.
3. Automated Computer with guidance and collision control software that is very tested.
We only have ONE of those....so as far as we KNOW....
Just think, all those TSA agents could apply for the jobs, government hires from within first..................
Saw the same headline in 1957.
My uncle, Bruce Hallock built and flew these cars in the 1950’s. One of the many problems will be lawyers. The cost of insuring the manufacturer against lawsuits doubles the price of a plane. America was the world’s leading private aircraft producer. They were mostly driven out of business by lawsuits.
I wonder if they’ll get funding from some guys in the Middle East who aren’t interested in learning how to land?..............
[ It would sure cut down wear and tear on highways and bridges. Be kinda tough on toll road revenues too. ]
It would actually be better for the environment, as there wouldn’t be these giant heat sinks called asphault and concrete highways that soak up the heat.
(which probably contribute more to raising the temps around cities and whatnot than a tiny increase in a trace gas)
Just make the buyer sign an agreement that the mfr will not be held responsible for anything untoward happening while flying the plane....................
With #2 all else is unnecessary................
I live in an area that historically has a lot of fog, but for many years, our fog has been a fraction of what it used to be. our local weatherman says this is due to increased development, specificaly roads, parking lots, housing etc.
The “flying car” looks sort of like an . . . airplane. I guess an airplane with fold-up wings. No doubt a rich-guy’s toy, nothing that could be afforded by the average person. You would probably only be allowed to land and take-off at an airport, so there wouldn’t be a huge advantage to having this as opposed to a normal private plane.
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