Thursday, April 5, 2012

 First Flying Car: The Transition by Terrafugia sets world record (Video)

NEW YORK, NY, USA--Developed by Woburn, Massachusetts-based Terrafugia Inc., the Transition® Street-Legal Airplane is a two seat personal aircraft capable of driving on roads and highways at up to 100 mph, parking in a single car garage, and flying with unleaded automotive fuel , setting the world record for the First Flying Car, according to World Record Academy: www.worldrecordacademy.com/.

  Photo: Terrafugia recently completed its first test flight, and sells for about $250000.
  ( enlarge photo )

The Guinness world record for the First Car to Break The Sound Barrier was set by When Andy Green (UK), who set the land speed record in 1997 in the Black Rock Desert; it was the first time that anyone on land had gone faster than the speed of sound (usually around 1,236 km/h, or 768 mph) in dry air at 20°C (68°F).

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the First Car to Sell 30 million untits was set by Toyota Corolla; in 2005, the 30 millionth Toyota Corolla is sold.

  The Terrafugia Transition seats two and can take off and land from more than 5000 public US airfields. It can be driven on any road and runs on the same gasoline as high- performance cars.

  Development of the Transition is progressing and last month Terrafugia completed the first flight of the production prototype.

  The Transition can reach around 70 miles per hour on the road and 115 mph in the air, spokesman Steven Moscaritolo said. On the ground, it gets 35 miles per gallon.

  Terrafugia co-founder and CEO Carl Dietrich expects flight testing to continue through 2012 and deliveries to begin next year.

  Terrafugia says an owner would need to pass a test and complete 20 hours of flying time to be able to fly the Transition, a relatively low hurdle for pilots.

  Around 100 people have already put down a 10,000 US dollar (£6,240) deposit to get a Transition when they go on sale, and those numbers will likely rise after Terrafugia introduces the Transition to the public at the New York Auto Show.

  The Transition® Production Prototype is on display at the New York International Auto Show April 6-15th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City.

  It is expected to cost 279,000 US dollars (£174,000).

  The US government has already granted the company's request to use special tires and glass that are lighter than normal automotive ones, to make it easier for the vehicle to fly.