A flying car called the Terrafugia Transition could be on its way to American roads and skies. Equipped with a rear propeller engine, front-wheel drive, airbags and crumple zones, the Transition is as at home in the air as it is on asphalt, according to its makers.
The prototype can fly as far as 460 miles at a top speed of about 115 mph and only needs a 2,500-foot runway for takeoff and landing. Once on the ground, pilots can press a button to fold up the wings, making the vehicle street-ready and stowable in a home garage.
Flying cars are no longer the stuff of science fiction. The Terrafugia Transition, pictured here flying in formation with another aircraft, uses a rear-mounted propeller to fly as far as 460 miles and front-wheel drive to cruise on local roads.
And thanks to a recently awarded Federal Aviation Administration exemption, the flying car will be classified as a "light sport" plane despite its 1,440-pound frame -- meaning wannabe aviators will only need to log about 20 hours of "fliers ed" before they can get behind the throttle.
That's far less seat time than is required for a full pilot's license, but that doesn't mean the Transition is for everyone. With only two seats, it's not the most convenient for families or grocery shopping. And the planned price tag of about $194,000 might ground some aspirational aviators when it hits the skies in late 2011.
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