'The Transition' - Flying Car

Terrafugia a small, privately held company has recently gained FAA approval for its roadable aircraft (i.e., flying car), and new improvements to the vehicle's design bring it only about a year away from being available to customers, according to Forbes and MSNBC.
Named "The Transition," Terrafugia's flying car takes the notion of driving a hybrid to a whole new level. The latest model features a more car-like look, with traditional headlights and even a license plate holder. Other new fixtures include an improved wing that folds up with a touch of a switch, like in a convertible car, rear-wheel drive with a continuously variable transmission, independent suspension and even a futuristic touch screen interface in the cockpit.
On ground the vehicle folds its wings up to achieve legal street-ready dimensions. The concept is for users to be able to drive it from their own garage to a nearby airport, allowing for independent, convenient travel. At the very least, it would help drivers bypass those annoying airport wait times.
The flying car will be an expensive proposition.Estimated price for a first-generation Transition is slated at around $194,000. Though that's out of the price range for the average consumer, it's at least an important first step toward bringing childhood fantasies of driving a flying car closer to reality.
The launch date will be in late 2011.
Source - Forbes
The Ferrari Story

Fly in a Gyrocopter World’s First Practical Flying Car

A group of skilled people have designed the world’s first practical three-wheeled flying car targeting the aggravated commuters. This weird vehicle assures reprieve to motorists wedged in traffic jam by offering them a ride in this aircraft competent of elevating up to 4,000ft above heaving roads. Running at a top speed of 125mph on land, the Personal Air and Land Vehicle (PAL-V), has a structure similar to that of a motorbike but it’s ready to fly by unfolding rotor, propeller and tail section hidden in its roof. It is this hidden kit only that allows it access of up to 120mph.

Its funny exterior deceives its rapid hastening from 0 to 60 in just 5 seconds - a far snivel from Del Boy Trotter’s yellow Robin Reliant in Only Fools and Horses. Its creators reckon that when the sale price of this one-seater car would be a bit higher than an executive saloon car. Known as gyrocopter, the various mandatory accessories of the car includes a rotor on the top to raise it through the air, and a propeller at the rear to supply onward shove. To fly the PAL-V you need a leisure pilot’s licence, which can be obtained after a training of 10-20 hours against a normal driver’s licence that is procured to run it on the roads.

After six-years of R&D over budding concept versions, now the experts seem to be geared of to start the manufacturing of these vehicles soon. They are eyeing motorists who cannot bear any more traffic jams. The great mind behind this concept is that of John Bakker. It needs just 165ft to take off in and 16ft to land and can afford to fly for 340 miles within its fuel-efficient and environmentally specialized car engine. Against a helicopter, the rotor of an autogyro is impelled by sleek forces alone once it is in air. The creators of this prototype foresee a time when such automobiles would be extensively used that people will wing along sky highways, intended by GPS and using radar to prevent accident.

© Source: elitechoice
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