by DAN CALLOWAY
Published 31 October 2009 at 20:15 UCT
WEAVERVILLE, NC – An award-winning team of MIT engineers and MBAs who also happen to be successful and passionate pilots in their own right have come together to form a company called Terrafugia. In 2006, this company was founded and in three years, the first car-aircraft transition vehicle called the Transition® Roadable Aircraft was developed, tested, and proved a successful innovation.
Terrafugia designed the Transition® vehicle to serve two purposes: to be a fully-functional aircraft, and to have the ability to fold its wings and become a street-legal automotive vehicle. This vehicle can fold its wings and drive on any conventional road surface, taking the traveler to any airport where its wings can be extended and it’s ready for takeoff.
Construction, testing and certification is still ongoing where the Production Prototype will follow the completion of the Proof of Concept’s testing program. Terrafugia is currently projecting its first customer delivery of the Transition® Roadable Aircraft in 2011.
If you want one of these Transition® Roadable Aircraft to reduce your business travel time from home to office, then I suggest that you start saving up now as the anticipated consumer price tag will be around US$200,000.00.
Watch the video, which demonstrates the remarkable functionality of this new innovative design.
Move over Jetsons, the day cars can fly appears to be here. Cool!