Something outside the regular but still technology

http://www.globe-net.com/articles/2010/july/3/flying-car-cleared-for-takeoff-.aspx?id=5331
FAA Grants Terrafugia Extra Takeoff Weight to Accommodate Road Safety Features




GLOBE-Net, July 1, 2010 - A new roadworthy vehicle capable of deploying wings and taking off down the airport runway is one step closer to reality following a ruling by the US Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) allow extra takeoff weight to accommodate motor vehicle safety rules.



Terrafugia, Inc., developer of the Transition Roadable Aircraft, or "Flying Car", has received an exemption from the FAA to allow the a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 1430 pounds (650 kg).



This additional weight accommodates the structure and equipment necessary for compliance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) which are not found in other Light Sport Aircraft. Items such as airbags, an energy absorbing crumple zone, and a protective safety cage will increase safety both on the road and in the air.



Exclusively applicable to the Transition, the FAA's grant of an additional 110 pounds will allow a competitive useful load while providing a revolutionary level of crash safety in a Light Sport Aircraft.



Richard Gersh, vice president of business development for Terrafugia, said the Transition not only had to meet aircraft standards but it also needed to include US vehicle safety features like airbags, crumple zones and a roll cage, which added the weight.



'Now with the additional weight it not only gives us the additional flexibility but also will likely increase our payload,' he said.



With its wing folded up, the two-seater Transition can travel at highway speeds on any road using its front-wheel drive. The vehicle achieves a 4x4 comparable 30 miles per gallon and runs on high-test automotive unleaded petrol. Once it has arrived at the airport and enters onto the tarmac, it can fold down its electrically powered wings, engage its rear-facing propeller and take off down the runway.



According to specs on the Terrafugia web site, the Transition has a 115mph cruising speed in the air, a range of 460 miles and it can carry 450lb (204kg). It needs approximately a 518m runway to take off and it can fit inside a standard garage.



The primary target market for the Transition, which can be pre-ordered for about $194,000, will be existing pilots who 'may or may not have their own plane and want the added capabilities a road capable aircraft would give them.



'It's lower cost because they can keep the vehicle at their home,' he said. 'They can transit to and from both their destination airport and arrival airport.



'The value proposition is that should the weather turn adverse you now have an alternative that virtually no other general aviation pilot has and that is you can land the plane at the closest airport and drive under the weather.'



By giving pilots a convenient ground transportation option, the Transition reduces the cost, inconvenience, and weather sensitivity of personal aviation. In addition to the enhanced protection afforded by applying automotive crash safety technology to light planes, the Transition reduces the potential for an accident by allowing pilots to drive under bad weather instead of potentially flying into marginal conditions.



Classified as a Light Sport Aircraft, the Transition requires a Sport Pilot certificate to fly and is designed to drive on public highways.. A light sport aircraft license requires only 20 hours' flying time, which is much less than what is required to fly larger airplanes.



Terrafugia successfully completed flight and drive testing of its Proof of Concept Transition in 2009. Refundable airframe reservations are being accepted with first delivery scheduled for late 2011. The company has taken 70 orders for the car.







Computer graphics of the production prototype design will be unveiled at a press conference at 10:30 a.m. on July 26, 2010 at Terrafugia's exhibit at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI.



Terrafugia (terra-FOO-gee-ah), based in Woburn, MA, is comprised of a team of award-winning engineers who have been advancing the state of personal aircraft since 2006. Founded by five pilots who are graduates of MIT and supported by a world-class network of advisors and private investors, Terrafugia's mission is the innovative expansion of personal mobility. "Terrafugia" is Latin for "escape from land."



For more information Visit http://www.terrafugia.com



Source 2: www.theengineer.co.uk