Flying car cleared for take-off!

The two seater Terrafugia Transition can take off or land at general airports, be driven on roads and parked in the garage.

As a plane it can fly at 115mph, consuming 5 gallons of fuel an hour, while on the road it gives 35mpg and a top speed of 65mph.

For Americans, the Transition has been regulated by US authorities as a Light Sport Aircraft and a Multipurpose Passenger Vehicle. This means that owners will need a Sport Pilot’s license to fly it. (This requires a minimum of 20 hours of flight time and a practical test). A normal driving license will be required for use on the ground.

According to the manufacturers, conversion from plane to car is a simple process.

While in the air, the propeller is powered by the engine through a carbon fibre drive shaft. On landing, the electro- mechanical wing folding mechanism can be activated from the inside of the cockpit. In less than 30 seconds, the wings fold up twice and are stowed vertically on the sides of the vehicle. At the same time power is directed from the engine to the wheels with a continuously variable transmission.

Terrafugia claim that their vehicle will succeed where other attempts to make a flying car have failed because the Transition benefits from the latest building materials and computer-based avionics, adding that their philosophy was to: “design a vehicle for pilots that brings additional ground capability to an airplane instead of attempting to make a car fly”. Around 100 flying cars have already been reserved at an estimated cost of $250,000 with initial orders scheduled for Autumn / Winter 2012.

Unfortunately the Transition will require approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency before it can be used in Britain, assuming of course that you can find anywhere to park it.