Flying Car a Reality

Terrafugia (ter-ra-FOO-gee-ah) was founded in 2006 by award-winning MIT-trained aeronautical engineers who also happen to be passionate private pilots. The company's mission is to provide innovative solutions to the challenges facing personal aviation. The result: The Transition^® Street Legal Airplane (also called a Roadable Aircraft or "flying car"). Taking advantage of new FAA regulations in the Light Sport Aircraft category, Terrafugia developed the Transition^® to provide pilots the convenience of a dual-purpose vehicle. Its unique design allows the Transition^® to fold its wings and drive on any surface road with a modern personal airplane platform. Once at the airport, the wings extend and the aircraft is ready for take-off. Both folding and extending the wings is done from inside the cockpit. The Transition^® addresses head-on the issues private and sports pilots face: cost, weather sensitivity, high overall door-to-door travel time and a lack of mobility at destination.

First flight of the Transition Proof of Concept the first full scale driving and flying vehicle built in the Transition^® development program occurred on March 5, 2009 at Plattsburgh International Airport in Plattsburgh, NY. A successful flight test program followed. Construction, testing and certification of the Production Prototype are underway. Details of this next generation design are scheduled to be unveiled in July 2010. First customer delivery of a Transition^® Street Legal Airplane is expected to occur in Q4 2011. Following first delivery, manufacturing volume will be steadily increased with 300-400 vehicles being delivered annually after five years. This will support in excess of 400 skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs. To date, Terrafugia remains privately funded by a sophisticated group of accredited investors. The company is based just outside of Boston in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA.