Fuel-electric hybrid air car wants to take flight, needs funding to do it

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a... fuel-electric hybrid air car? Well, yes actually, but right now it's more ready-to-go concept than airborne reality. This brainchild of Trek Aerospace designer Michael Moshier and test-pilot Robert Bulaga employs the same ducted-fan tech the duo used in their DARPA-funded, NASA design-assisted, Popular Science 'Invention of the Year' winning SoloTrek. Like its predecessor, this hybrid air car is ideal for those close-quartered take-off and landing situations thanks to its enclosed propulsion system -- good news for birds, trees and even human heads everywhere. Though still in the design phase, the pair hopes a generous round of funding will propel this 1960s Jetsons promise into a world-class fleet. While we can't see the DMV rushing to approve licenses of this sort for the common joe, the copter-car should prove beneficial in roadless third-world nations, and maybe even lend a covered-propeller hand to first-world emergency service units. Pay attention billionaires of the world, this flying car's got your bank account written all over it. PR for the deep-pocketed after the break.

[Image credit via Michael Moshier/Robert Bulaga]Continue reading Fuel-electric hybrid air car wants to take flight, needs funding to do itFuel-electric hybrid air car wants to take flight, needs funding to do it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Earth Techling  | Email this | Comments

Terrafugia Transition aircraft first hands-on (video)

People used to say that cars in the '50s and '60s had fins, giant wing-like protuberances that designers grafted on to capitalize on the fledgling concepts of aerodynamics. Your fist impression of the Terrafugia Transition is much the same as standing next to a 1959 Coupe de Ville -- it's huge, and the giant vertical stabilizers on the back have a distinctly Cadillac feel. This, however, is different. Sure, it too is made in the US, but it's crafted of carbon fiber, titanium and aluminum, costs $279,000 and seats only two. Oh, and did we mention it can fly? It's making its major auto show debut this week and we got a chance to check it out. Follow us after the break for some grounded impressions.Gallery: Terrafugia Transition first eyes-onContinue reading Terrafugia Transition aircraft first hands-on (video)Terrafugia Transition aircraft first hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 09:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Terrafugia Transition aircraft gets DOT roadworthiness sign-off, can now drive you to the airport

For most experimental aircraft, earning an airworthiness certificate is enough of a challenge. But the Terrafugia Transition is a unique type of flying machine, requiring approval not only from the FAA, but also from the USDOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), since this air / land hybrid is likely to spend just as much time cruising down the highway as it will flying 5,000 feet above. The Transition is now slightly closer to takeoff, with the NHTSA granting exemptions for absent airbags, a missing electronic stability system, and the plane's lightweight polycarbonate windows (polycarbonate is lighter than automotive safety glass, and won't shatter and obscure a pilot's vision in the event of a bird strike). Unfortunately the Transition still has other hurdles to fly over -- its cabin is limited to carrying 330 pounds when fully fueled, including passengers, and the price has jumped 41 percent, to $250,000. In the meantime, Terrafugia hopes to move forward with production later this year, bringing the 'flying car' slightly closer to a runway (and highway) near you.Terrafugia Transition aircraft gets DOT roadworthiness sign-off, can now drive you to the airport originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jul 2011 04:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink The Register  |  AOPA  | Email this | Comments

Terrafugia’s TF-X concept flying car makes every road its launch pad

Anyone who watched The Jetsons as a kid has been eagerly awaiting the day we can take our personal vehicles to the sky, zooming away towards the clouds to pick up a pizza or the dry cleaning. Such a reality isn’t here yet, but Terrafugia’s new TF-X concept gives us yet another glimpse into what Read The Full Story

Harvard’s robotic insects fly for the first time

They’re a source of fascination for some and paranoia for others – robot insects, which are about the size of your standard house fly and capable of flying in mostly the same fashion. This week the first flight of robotic insects in a Harvard lab was detailed in the journal Science, along with an image Read The Full Story

That’s not a flying car

Terrafugia’s Transition flying car has faced the press at its New York Auto Show debut and inevitably caught the attention of Jetsons-raised geeks, but let’s face it: it’s not really a flying car. The two-seater is capable of four hours of flight when airborne, having driven at up to 65mph to your nearest airstrip, but you Read The Full Story

This Is The World's First Practical Flying Car

The idea of a flying car has fascinated dreamers and aviation geeks alike since humans first got off the ground with powered flight. The concept has obvious advantages: the "go anywhere, anytime" freedom of an automobile without any of the traffic congestion that terrestrial drivers face on a daily basis. Featured in movies like Back to the Future and Blade Runner, this mode of transportation has been restricted to the realm of science-fiction due to the complexity of the drivetrain required and the training that would be needed to operate such a vehicle. Now, a company called Terrafugia has put forward their vision for a practical flying car. Using electric-gasoline hybrid technology from the cutting edge of the automobile industry and autopilot technology adopted from the aviation industry, the company thinks they have what's needed to bring a flying car to the mass market.The concept started as the Terrafugia Transition, a plane that can be driven on the road Unfortunately, the Transition had to take off and land from an airport, so Terrafugia began working on a second generation concept Which came to be known as the Terrafugia TF-X, an electric-hybrid flying car with a range of 500 miles See the rest of the story at Business Insider Please follow SAI on Twitter and Facebook.    

Terrafugia Transition production prototype completes first flight, set to land at NY Auto Show this Friday

Terrafugia's Transition could finally be making its way to the production line. The "flying car" has journeyed far beyond the concept phase, achieving its compulsory nod from the DOT last summer, and now reaching production prototype status. On March 23rd, the latest Transition flew past one more hurdle, completing its first airborne trial. The hybrid vehicle rolled down the runway at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York before ascending to 1400 feet -- the entire flight lasted a mere eight minutes, and marks the first of six planned phases of flight testing during the aircraft's voyage past experimental stage. There's still no word on when the Light Sport Aircraft will be making its way to soon-to-be Transition owners, but those hankering for a preview can catch a glimpse of the craft at the New York Auto Show from April 6th through the 15th. You can also taxi past the break for a tail-level view of the test plane's trek to takeoff.Continue reading Terrafugia Transition production prototype completes first flight, set to land at NY Auto Show this FridayTerrafugia Transition production prototype completes first flight, set to land at NY Auto Show this Friday originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink CNET  |  Terrafugia  | Email this | Comments

2014 Jaguar F-TYPE official from $69,000

We’ve known it’s coming, but Jaguar’s new 2014 F-TYPE convertible still wowed at its official debut at the Paris Auto Show, a two-seater slice of achingly handsome design and finessed performance. The road-going evolution of the 2011 C-X16 concept, the new Jaguar will be available in three models – the F-TYPE, F-TYPE S and the Read The Full Story

Terrafugia’s flying car prototype makes first flight

Terrafugia announced today that its production prototype flying car, the Transition, has successfully completed its first test flight. The company has been promising to deliver the a mass-market street-legal vehicle capable both on the road and in the air since they flew an earlier proof-of-concept version back in 2009. The Transition is a two-seater vehicle Read The Full Story