Terrafugia Transition gets US approval
July 19th, 2011 - 1:23 am ICT by Aishwarya BhattWashington, July 18 (THAINDIAN NEWS) In just five years time, the long-held dream of seeing a flying car may come to pass. US officials gave the greenlight to the car as far as safety is concerned and that is a huge obstacle that has been cleared.
Terrafugia Transition which cost $250,000 apiece is a car and a flying machine. On the road, the car can reach a speed of 65mph and when it is flying, the craft’s top speed is 115mph. Drivers can start flying after just 20 hours of training. The car takes only 15 seconds to transform from a car to a plane and the reverse is true.
Terrafugia is the idea of Carl Dietrich. The project was started in 2006 and after several changes to the original design, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave their approval for the car to be used in the country.
It is a major breakthrough for the manufacturers because European officials are also likely to give their approval. Flying cars when introduced will greatly change the way that people travel.
Terrafugia have already started receiving pre-sale deposits from customers. One of such customers is a software engineer in Massachusetts, Sherry Grobstein. She has deposited $10,000 and she said she can’t wait to have the car.
She said that, “I think it’s the coolest idea in the universe. With the Transition, I can fly somewhere and if the weather isn’t good enough to fly back, I can just drive home. Or when I get to an airstrip I can explore nearby restaurants without renting a car.”
- Britons may soon fly cars! - Jul 19, 2011
- FDA approves flying car - Jun 30, 2010
- Flying car soon to become reality - Jul 01, 2010
- Flying Car Terrafugia Transition Gets FAA Nod - Jun 30, 2010
- Flying Maruti car at AeroIndia this year - Feb 01, 2011
- Flying car takes off successfully - Mar 19, 2009
- Worlds first flying car set for lift-off next month - Jan 11, 2009
- World's first flying car gets green signal to take-off (Lead, changing dateline) - Jul 01, 2010
- Flying car to be unveiled in 2011 (With Image) - Jun 24, 2009
- Terrafugia Transition 'flying car' gets go-ahead from US air authorities - Jun 29, 2010
- US firm to develop flying cars for military - Dec 01, 2010
- World's first flying car may soar the skies by 2011 - Nov 14, 2009
- World's first flying car takes test flights - Mar 25, 2009
- Gordon Murray Designed Car Clears Crash Impact Test - Jan 20, 2011
- US close to unveiling flying car as Iran reveals hybrid flying boat squadron - Oct 04, 2010
Tags: airstrip, carl dietrich, european officials, flying car, flying cars, greenlight, grobstein, highway traffic safety, national highway traffic, national highway traffic safety, national highway traffic safety administration, nearby restaurants, obstacle, original design, renting a car, sherry, software engineer, terrafugia, top speed, traffic safety administration