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Are you thinking about purchasing the Transition® Roadable Aircraft, the two-seat flying car developed by a group of MIT alumni? If so, it’s important to remember one thing: retract the wings before pulling into the garage.

From The Associated Press via NPR:

Woburn, Mass.-based Terrafugia Inc. said (April 2) that its prototype flying car has completed its first flight, bringing the company closer to its goal of selling the flying car within the next year. The vehicle–dubbed the Transition–has two seats, four wheels and wings that fold up so that it can be driven like a car. Last month, it flew at 1,400 feet for eight minutes.

If you’re having visions of George Jetson, think again. The Transition lacks some amenities (no cup holders) and won’t help you avoid traffic–it needs a 1,700-foot runway to get off the ground. But it will give pilots the ability to use the same vehicle to fly in the air and drive on the road, potentially reducing the expensive costs and travel limitations that many personal aviation pilots face.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6MVQ4m0vaE&w=448&h=258] The Transition, which was introduced at the 2012 New York International Auto Show on April 5, currently retails at $279,000, reaches approximately 70 miles per hour on the road and 115 in the air, and runs off a 23-gallon tank of regular automotive fuel.

Terrafugia’s beginnings trace back to MIT. Co-founder and CEO Carl Dietrich ’99, SM ’03, PhD ’07 won the 2006 Lemelson Student Prize for Innovation for developing the Transition's concept. Additional co-founders include Dietrich's wife, Anna Mracek Dietrich ’04, SM ’06, the company’s COO and acting CFO; Samuel Schweighart SM ’01, PhD ’04; Alex B. Min ’91, MBA ‘07; and Arun Prakash MBA ’07. Roughly half of Terrafugia’s 20-person workforce is MIT alumni.

What's your take? Is there a market for a flying car? Let us know on Facebook or in the comments section below.

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Comments

Jack Denton

Tue, 01/07/2014 4:56pm

It's really an awesome idea. I went to your website and looked around. I really liked the TF-X model that's a hybrid electric flying car. I like the vertical take off and landing ability. Now you wouldn't need to get to an airport to get it off the ground. Can't wait to see more!

Malik

Thu, 04/12/2012 2:10am

Well, first... this is pretty cool. But it's not a flying car... it's a driveable plane--and of course the inventers know this, which is why they called it a 'roadable aircraft'. So it would not be part of the 'Flying car' market; it would be part of the small plane market. The positives, however, are 1) the pilot/owner would not need to house it in a hangar at the airport, 2) it's a lot easier to get fuel, and 3) if they REALLY need to make a quick run to the store or something, they can use the plane as a car. But few people would actually use it that way very often.

So for now it addresses a few issues in the small plane market, and starts bridging the gap. But until we get something that a) comes a bit closer to a traditional car form factor, and b) can take off without using a full airstrip, I think we've got a way to go to get to the true 'flying car' market.

Outstanding engineering work, though. Kudo's, and all the best.

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