Every pilot faces uncertain weather, rising costs, and ground transportation hassles on each end of the flight. The Transition® combines the unique convenience of being able to fold its wings with the ability to drive on any surface road in a modern personal airplane platform. Stowing the wings for road use and deploying them for flight at
the airport is activated from inside the cockpit. This unique functionality addresses head-on the issues faced by today’s Private and Sport Pilots.
Terrafugia’s award-winning MIT-trained engineers have been advancing the state-of-the-art in personal aircraft on-schedule since 2006. Now you can streamline your flying experience with the revolutionary integration of personal land and air travel made possible by the Transition® Roadable Aircraft.
Performance:
Cruise: 100 kts (115 mph)
Rotate: 70 kts (80 mph)
Stall: 45 kts (51 mph)
Range: 400nm (460 mi)
Takeoff over 50′ obstacle: 1700′
Fuel burn: 5 gph
Fuel tank: 20 gallons
Useful Load: 430 lbs
On road: 30 mpg, 65 mph
Light Sport Aircraft (LSA)
Convenience
Front wheel drive on the ground
Automotive-style entry and exit
Two place, side by side
Automated electromechanical folding wing
No trailer or hangar needed
Cargo area holds skis, fishing poles or golf clubs
Safety
Drive in case of inclement weather
Proven 100 hp Rotax 912S engine
Full vehicle parachute available
Modern glass avionics
Automotive crash safety features
Dimensions
Folded:
6’ 9” tall
80” wide
18’ 9” long
Airplane:
6’ 3” tall
19’ 2” long
Wingspan: 27’ 6”
Cockpit: 51” at the shoulder
[contents taken from Terrafugia website. Please visit their site for more information and if you’re interested in owning one. Additional info, that thing cost about $194,000 and the first delivery will be in 2010]
That’s pretty spectacular. Though it strikes me that landing would be rather awkward, given how low to the ground the overall body is compared to the average airplane; do their advertising materials address this?
Hi Ravyn, thanks for visiting my blog. I don’t really know if they address it in their advertising materials. I think it doesn’t really matter of how awkward it is when you land. The important thing is, you have it.
If you have this thing, you have a car and a plane at the same time. Isn’t it?
Reminds me of a film I used to watch a few decades ago titled Joe 90. Bravo!