Terrafugia the World’s first Flying Car

Image © Terrafugia

Terrafugia’s TF-X Transition Street-Legal Airplane, designed to be the flying car for all of us, able to takeoff vertically and reaching a speed up to 200 mph.
Flying Car Terrafugia TF-X™ is the practical realization of the dream of countless visions of the future and will focus the program with clear goals that enhance the safety, simplicity, and convenience of personal transportation.
The TF-X will carry four people in car-like comfort, will have a range of at least 500 miles, will fit in a single car garage, will be able to drive on roads and highways.

Image © Terrafugia

Image © Terrafugia

According to Terrafugia website:

• TF-X™ is a fixed wing street-legal aircraft with electric ground drive and electric power assist on takeoff and landing.
• TF-X™ will be able to recharge its batteries either from its engine or by plugging in to electric car charging stations.
• TF-X™ will be capable of “auto-landing” at approved landing sites within approved weather limits.
• Prior to departure, the operator selects a primary target landing zone and backup landing zones.  If the TF-X™ calculates insufficient energy on board to conduct last minute aborts at the first two sites and safely navigate to and land at the third within a 30 minute reserve, or if the forecast weather in any of the three landing zones would be outside the allowable limits, or if any of the selected landing zones are in temporarily restricted airspace (TFRs), departure will not be allowed until appropriate landing zones are selected.
• If manual operation (sightseeing) or changing weather causes the second backup landing zone to fall outside the range of the limits, the operator will be notified and prompted to select new landing zones within the new restrictions.
• The TF-X™ operator will have final say over whether an approved landing zone is actually a safe place in which to land, and they may abort the landing attempt at any time.
• Aborting the third landing at the end of an extended flight would result in the automatic declaration of an emergency and a horizontal (airplane-like) landing at the nearest airport.
• Normal TF-X™ operations will be conducted only in non-tower controlled airspace (Class E and G) and on the ground.  Operators who wish to operate in tower controlled airspace (Class B, C, or D) can get additional training.
• Licensed TF-X™ operators will be allowed to apply to add new landing zones to an approved landing zone database.
• TF-X™ will advise the operator if they are approaching restricted or tower-controlled airspace, or unnecessarily increasing the risk to human life (as could happen through carelessness, bad intentions, or if the operator becomes incapacitated).  If the operator does not take the appropriate corrective action, the TF-X™ vehicle will automatically notify authorities by “declaring an emergency” on behalf of the operator.

Development of TF-X™ is expected to last 8-12 years.  If you wish to be one of the first to own a TF-X™ vehicle, consider reserving a Transition® today.  The Transition® will be delivered long before the TF-X is ready, and as loyal Terrafugia customers, Transition® buyers will be given the option to purchase TF-X vehicles before the rest of the public.  The knowledge and experience you gain as a Transition® owner will help prepare you for TF-X™, and your feedback on our first product will help us craft the second.

source Terrafugia
Source: wordlesstech.com