Terrafugia Transition

[Seth]

http://www.terrafugia.com/

 

 

 

The Transition has 250 orders on the books, over a three year backlog. 

 

The plan is to right now get the curenty body over to crash testing, crash test the body, make necessary changes, and then have the final prototype.  When they go into production in 2-3 years, 10 will be created and delivered, and then production will halt until field testing occurs.  They will then make any needed changes, and produce at 50 units per year, to then ramp up production o hit the rest of the backlog within three years.

 

The Transition at this point needs to be produced  - the company has to deliver it's product.  The TF-X - now that is a game changer.

 

The Transition is not a game changer, it's more of a novelty item.  Nearly everyone lover the idea of a flying car.  They actually got more deposits from attending auto shows then their combined half dozen years at Oshkosh. 

 

The transition:

-100 MPH cruise

-Light Sport aircraft - VFR only, 2 people only, daytime only

-Ability to fly, land, and continue the drive in bad weather or nightime during a trip, and then fly out from another airport.

-Ability to store in your own garage at home vs a hanger at the airport (no hanger rent)

-Pack for your trip vs packing and unpacking the airplane for the rental car - time is money

 

For a market here in the Mooney, we'll fly our Mooney, get there faster, and get a better rental car wherever we are heading. HOWEVER, for a certain segment of the market, the Transition does make sense.  However, for most buyers, it's the wow factor - not the utility factor of having a roadable aircraft.

 

I really hope the Transition does get to production, but I'm not sure if they will.  I do know the smithsonia wants the current transtion test vehicle prototpe (not the proof of concept vehicle) if it does hit production.  If it doesn't, then the smithsonian doesn't want it.  Fascnating.

 

What do you think? 

 

Separately, and in my other thread, the TF-X looks pretty darn neat.  - They are saying 10 years, I'm thinking 15-25.

-Seth

 

 

 

[Super Dave]

Reminds me of the Moller Skycar; they have been three years away from delivering production models for the past thirty years.

[PTK]

Cool concept!

[Seth]

I've watched Moller for years but I did not think they ever flew the different prototypes without a teathered rope and only a few feet. 

 

The transition proof of concept did not fly too far - only 28 flights and many of them bunny hops.

 

The current transition is a docile flying airplane.  Stick, ruder, power.  No flaps - they want it to be simple to fly - kind of like a 152 or a Piper cub.  And evidently, it does fly pretty well for what it is. 

 

-Seth

[FloridaMan]

Terrafuglia

[201er]

100MPH!? You might as well be driving...

[Hank]

100 MPH straight-line sure beats 55-70 MPH on the road, which saves me ~30-40% of the distance.

 

For a 300 mile trip:

at 55 MPH = 5:27

at 70 MPH = 4:17

FLYING 200 miles at 100 MPH = 2:00

Still substantially better off, but much slower than a Mooney. In my C, that 200 sm trip would be 1:13, and half the acquisition cost of the Transition. PPL + IA >> "5 hours Autopilot training" so you'll make up the higher price tag with CFI/CFII savings.

 

The real question is how safe will it be once people with this minimal training start "driving" through the airspace?

[Seth]

100MPH!? You might as well be driving...

 

Yeah - Light Sport rules.

 

But, you can in good weather fly from airport to airport to avoid a rush hour backup, or fly until you see rain, land, drive on the ground through the storm, get to the next local airport, and take off - frankly - not terribly a bad idea.

 

However, 100 MPH is an issue.  This is more of a novelty item.  The TF-X - if it's ever meant, is a game changer.

 

-Seth