Terrafugia Inc., makers of the first commercially available flying car, have announced that the car has successfully completed its maiden flight. The Transition, as the flying car has been called, flew at 1400 feet for eight minutes. This could well mean that Terrafugia could launch the car in the coming year, right on schedule.
The company has already received around 100 bookings for the car, but owners will have to pass a test and complete 20 hours of flying to be eligible to pilot the Transition in the air. The Transition can top 110kph on the ground and 177kph in flight. The car/plane has an 87-litre fuel tank and consumes 19 litres every hour in the air, giving it a maximum flight time of around four hours. It averages 15kpl on the ground, which isn't bad at all for a car that has to carry the extra weight of the wings etc around.
The Transition is expected to retail at Rs 1.43 crore before taxes and duties, and will be on display at the ongoing New York Auto Show.
