(video) 'Flying car' gets go-ahead from US

[Still Waters]

The Terrafugia Transition, a light aircraft that can convert into a road-legal automobile, is to go into production after being given a special weight exemption by the US Federal Aviation Administration.

The Transition was designed as a "light sport" aircraft, the smallest kind of private aeroplane under FAA classification, with a maximum weight of 1,320lb.But the manufacturers found it impossible to fit the safety features - airbags, crumple zones and roll cage, for instance - that are required for road vehicles into that weight.

Uniquely, however, the FAA has granted the Transition an exemption - allowing it to be classified as a light sport aircraft despite being 120lb over the limit.

Light sport aircraft licences require just 20 hours' flying time, making them much easier to obtain than full private licences.

The two-seater Transition can use its front-wheel drive on roads at ordinary highway speeds, with wings folded, at a respectable 30 miles per gallon. Once it has arrived at a suitable take-off spot - an airport, or adequately sized piece of flat private land - it can fold down the wings, engage its rear-facing propellor, and take off. The folding wings are electrically powered.

Its cruising speed in the air is 115mph, it has a range of 460 miles, and it can carry 450lb. It requires a 1,700-foot (one-third of a mile) runway to take off and can fit in a standard garage.

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[Druidus-Logos]

Sounds dangerous, fun, and fantastical all at once. But I still want one.

[+DieChecker]

Looks cool. I'd get one if I was a bachelor. Being married with kids means you don't get to do as many dangerous activities as before.

[danielost]

Weird-looking cars are a dime a dozen. Far less common are weird-looking cars that can also fly AND have approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Indeed, as far as we know, there's only one of those babies: The Terrafugia Transition.

The private aircraft/funky-looking car has been in the news before.But the recent announcement that it's going into production sparked mega-searches on the Web. Almost immediately, online lookups for "terrafugia transition" and "terrafugia transition pictures" both, well, took off.

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we're getting closer to the jetson's car.

[Silus]

Haha that looks awesome, can't wait to get mine.

[27vet]

I'm not sure that they should be available to all drivers though, we would have Star Wars in the sky above our heads.

[:PsYKoTiC:BeHAvIoR:]

I'm not sure that they should be available to all drivers though, we would have Star Wars in the sky above our heads.

Not to mention the increase percentage of having a flying vehicule crash in your house.

[ali zeek]

Not to mention the increase percentage of having a flying vehicule crash in your house.

COP: PULL THAT THING OVER!

[danielost]

Not to mention the increase percentage of having a flying vehicule crash in your house.

they have or should have a chute to land the plane safely. i dont know if it has small directional fans to stear it away from houses.

[Admiral Danger]

ah yes, i remember hearing about this on a tv programme.

i would have given it another 10 years before putting it into production because other technology still needs to be developed to make it safer and easier to fly.

[danielost]

ah yes, i remember hearing about this on a tv programme.

i would have given it another 10 years before putting it into production because other technology still needs to be developed to make it safer and easier to fly.

i think your talking about the jet car.

[Admiral Danger]

i think your talking about the jet car.

maybe i am...

either way...

it will be a couple of years until i can drive any vehicle. so i dont think i'll be driving any flying car anytime soon.