GTP Cool Wall: Terrafugia Transition Roadable Aircraft

  • Thread starter TheBook
  • 25 comments
  • 5,063 views

Terrafugia Transition Roadable Aircraft

  • Total voters
    52
  • Poll closed .
TheBook

TheBook

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Sturgis, MI
GTP_ty00123
Terrafugia Transition Roadable Aircraft '11 ('09 prototype shown)

terrafugia-transition-plane.jpg

terrafugia-transition-roadable-aircraft-2.jpg


Specs:

Front-engine/Front wheel Drive (I think...the NACA duct at the front would be an intake, right?) or rear-mounted 4-blade propeller
Rotax 912S 1.2L F-4 - 100HP @ about 5,800 RPM

Performance
Cruise: 100 kts (115 mph)
Rotate: 70 kts (80 mph)
Stall: 45 kts (51 mph)
Range: 400nm (460 mi)
Takeoff over 50' obstacle: 1700'
Fuel burn: 5 gph
Fuel tank: 20 gallons
Useful Load: 430 lbs
On road: 30 mpg, highway speeds
Certified as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA)

Dimensions:
Folded:
6’ 9” tall
80” wide
18’ 9” long

Airplane:
6’ 3” tall
19’ 2” long
Wingspan:
27’ 6”
Cockpit:
51” at the shoulder

Anticipated release date: 2011
Airframe deposit: $10,000
Anticipated price at release: $194,000​
 
astrosdude91
It's a flying car! How could it not be Sub Zero?
Click to expand...

Because it's pretty damned ugly as either plane or car.

I'm pretty sure it's rear-wheel drive, by the way. Unless you can see the driveshafts going into those front wheel pods that I can't...
 
It's a compromised car and a compromised aircraft. How could it not be Seriously Uncool.

For $195,000 you could buy a brand new Cessna 162 SkyCatcher and still have $80,000 to spend on a car. Both would do a much much better job.
 
Obviously a car or plane is more practical. Also, 90% of drivers on the road would probably think "What the hell is that?!" It's got a certain something to it though.

For that, it's cool.
 
Interesting how this poll compares to the Leyat Helica. For some reason, that ancient machine that can't actually fly, seems more badass and cool than this. More endearing because of this? Or could just be the exposed propeller on the front. LOL

Meh vote.
 
Grand Prix
Interesting how this poll compares to the Leyat Helica. For some reason, that ancient machine that can't actually fly, seems more badass and cool than this. More endearing because of this? Or could just be the exposed propeller on the front. LOL

Meh vote.
Click to expand...

Thing is that the Helica was never intended to be a plane/car. It was merely an alternative way of powering a car using aircraft technology.

Seriously Uncool on the grounds it's ugly, expensive and impractical as either car or plane.
 
Eh, I'm just gonna say Cool, since I did nominate it, but, really, I wanted to see what people thought of this kind of thing without the stigma of being built in the '40s and having a trailer...like the Taylor Aerocar.

Aero%20Car-2.jpg


Also wondering how that 1.2L Rotax makes 100HP even, as I don't think it's turbo'd or high-revving...and I assume this runs on Pump gas.

as for drivetrain - pretty sure you can't drive directly to those flimsy scooter wheels out back. and the manufacturer claims it's FWD. The front wing/bumper blocks the view where the halfshafts would be.
 
I would not own nor drive/fly one even if there was a gun pointed at my head. Taking a bullet would be more cool as well.

Seriously Uncool.
 
It's really cool, if you look at it as a car and a plane. How can that part not be cool?
But of course as people have said it is ugly and expensive etc.

UNCOOL
 
Justin
Thing is that the Helica was never intended to be a plane/car. It was merely an alternative way of powering a car using aircraft technology.
Click to expand...

The difference is that the Helica looks like it can and will maim many scores of people stupid enough to get in it's path, that's what gives the Helica sub-zero credibility. This looks like Herbie and Jeremy Jet from Thomas The Tank Engine had a lovechild.

Uncool.
 
TheCracker
It's a compromised car and a compromised aircraft. How could it not be Seriously Uncool.

For $195,000 you could buy a brand new Cessna 162 SkyCatcher and still have $80,000 to spend on a car. Both would do a much much better job.
Click to expand...

For $80,000 you can buy a really cool car. I don't think anyone rich enough too spend that kind of money would want to be caught dead driving in that thing in public roads anyway. So I would say they would go the separate plane and car route. I mean really, look at the guy in the photo he looks like a geek. So maybe that would be the target market.
 
Ever imagined of a car that has ability to fly other than just to travel on ground, when you were a little kid? Well I have...so, kudos for the manufacturer who made this!

I gotta say that the design is...err...unique. But it doesn't fit my taste well... simply seems that it doesn't blend with what a good-looking car should at least look like according to my mind...

Plus, the look doesn't match with the price.

So well...I'm gonna pick either 'Cool' or 'Meh'. Bah, I'll just go with 'Cool'...
 
really, what does it take to turn this into a plane? can you land on public highways? Is this really bein' produced? WTF?
 
Grand Prix
Interesting how this poll compares to the Leyat Helica. For some reason, that ancient machine that can't actually fly, seems more badass and cool than this. More endearing because of this? Or could just be the exposed propeller on the front. LOL

Meh vote.
Click to expand...
The Helica was genuine post-war ingenuity, designed with the (perhaps ill-advised) belief of integrating the rapid recent advancements made in air travel to the rapid recent advances made in land travel into one package; and it was designed (more or less) when both industries were new enough that no one really knew what to expect from the future and the world hadn't gotten all of the logistics for the two down pat yet.

This thing, on the other hand, is just dumb.
 
No way, seriously uncool. You would look ridiculous.

You can get a light aircraft an decent car for the same price without looking daft.
 
Seriously Uncool. I mean, really, why didn't people give up on this idea in, ohhh, 1951?
 

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