Worlds first flying car

The world’s first flying car, which was caught in a legal snarl in the US, has finally been given the green signal. Being developed by Boston-based Terrafugia Transition since 2006, the dual-purpose car-cum-plane vehicle called ‘the flying car’ has got the waiver on its weight from the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Under FAA rules, the flying car — categorised as a ‘light sport’ aircraft — was required to be strictly under 1,320 pounds in weight. But with the addition of car safety features such as airbags, crumple zones and a safety cage, the vehicle overshot the weight-limit.

With the FAA now relaxing the rules for its weight, the decks have been cleared for the flying car – a two-seater named Transition – to take-off next year. “Our schedule calls for the first delivery to be made prior to the end of 2011. We currently have in excess of 70 orders, which is about a two-year backlog,” Richard Gersh, vice president for Terrafugia said.

Costing about $200,000, the flying car will travel up to 725 km in the air at a speed of more than 115 km per hour. Fuelled by gasoline, it will have front-wheel drive on the road and a propeller for flight. With its wings folded, it can be parked in an ordinary car garage. The company claims the flying car has been successfully test-flown many times. It says tests have shown that the vehicle can drive, fly and switch from being a plane to a car in just 30 seconds.