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The Flying Car Is Here by Drivin' Ivan
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Flying cars have always been reserved for our imaginations or James Bond films up to this point, but now the future is here and should be available for purchase within the next year and a half. The Terrafugia Transition switches from driving mode to flying mode in just 15 seconds and seats two people.
There are some other flying car experiments that have been in the works for some time like the Haynes Aero Skyblazer, Milner AirCar, Moller Skycar, and the Macro Industries Skyrider. The Terrafugia Transition seems to be the front runner as they have tested their flying car and will most likely be the first to offer it for sale to the general public.
The Transition can fly or drive using the same 100 horse power engine for both tasks. The Terrafugia has a top speed on the ground of around 90 miles per hour and a flying speed of 115 mph. Cruising range is reported to be up to 500 miles on one 20 gallon tank of gas.
For about $150,000 the lucky new owners should be able to drive from their home with a passenger and their luggage to the airport and on one tank of premium gas fly to their destination, land, and then drive on! Terrafugia calls this new convenient way to travel a "personal air vehicle".
The cockpit looks like a very high-tech car interior with a steering wheel and several gauges, buttons, and readouts for the pilot / driver. The Transition comes equipped with a Garmin GPS that features both road maps air maps. For the pilot savvy readers, the Transition is a standard stick and rudder plane with the throttle and choke located on the console. The stick folds up and rests just in front and to the lower left of the steering wheel.
This newfound convenience will certainly bring about many legislative challenges such as how does one get a license to fly one of these, and where will they be able to land, and how high will they be able to fly so as to avoid other air traffic. It seems like a great idea with the growing gridlock in most major cities, but I fear the day when an average driver can take to the skies what with all of the terrible drivers out there!
But for now the Terrafugia Transition is an exciting innovation in travel and technology. James Bond, Star Wars and Star Trek no longer seem so futuristic! The future is now thanks to the Terrafugia Transition.
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