TAILHOOK

Ready for Takeoff

Terrafugia, the aircraft startup that captured the flying community’s attention more than a decade ago, is now accepting letters of intent for early adopter delivery positions starting in 2019.

The company’s first flying vehicle is named Transition. The two-seater will make possible the dream of so many who wish to “hangar” their aircraft at home and drive to the airport when ready to fly. A resident of Southern California could drive on city streets to a local airport like Fullerton, take off in minutes, fly 100 mph over the desert, land at Las Vegas Municipal (KLVS) and valet at a Strip casino.

The Transition will be capable of trips of up to 400 miles, traveling at 100 mph with 380 lbs to be split between occupants and payload. In the air, propulsion will come from a 100hp Rotax 912iS fueled by premium auto gas while the glass avionics will come from Dynon. On the ground, the Transition will be powered by a hydroelectric motor. If a pilot or passenger should fear the worst, a built-in parachute from BRS will gently bring the Transition down as so many Cirrus owners have shown is possible.

To transition from driving to flight, the Transition’s wings will extend with the push of a single button. The result is a cute low-wing aircraft, something akin to a Piper Cherokee. Similarly, a single button push will retract the wings alongside the aircraft, similar to how a bird tucks in its wings.