Sport Pilot Talk

So, an actual flying car gets a step closer to reality, though you'll need a pilot license to fly it. Terrafugia keeps promising, but now they have a real SLSA certification for their Transition (see https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/lsa ... rtificate/). Anyone willing to fly one?

I'd fly it if someone tossed me the keys. Pay money to fly it, not likely. Good on them for building new stuff, I hope they sell thousands of them.

I'd be willing to fly one, for sure, if given the opportunity. I think it would be a cool entry in the logbook, if nothing else! But it would be interesting to see how it flew, landed, etc. as well as how well it worked as a car. All this is on the assumption that it's OPA (other people's airplane)...

Because there's no way I'd pay the kind of money they're asking for any "roadable" airplane. I'd be nervous as heck driving that expensive of an asset on our typical bad roads, with our typical traffic while in "car mode"... I'd be constantly worrying about the damage one of those "lifted" 4WD trucks would do with even the slightest side-swipe... And I figure you would definitely have everyone around you speeding up to figure out what it is, then slowing down as they passed you... Sort of like when you spot a McLaren Sena (over $1MM) on the road. It's cool to see it, but I'd be way too nervous to drive it on public roads! (Then there's that whole "I don't have the $$$ to even rent one – even in my dreams." issue...)

Since you still have to drive to the airport in that thing to take off ... the only justification would be that you wouldn’t have to pay for the hangar and could keep it in your garage ...

How could it be road legal if it uses a Rotax which has no catalytic converter and can run 100LL?

Do you remember the definition of a futon? It's an uncomfortable couch that converts into an uncomfortable bed. The Terrafugia Transition is clearly the futon of transportation.

Way too many compromises just to get "flying car" bragging rights IMHO.

Scooper wrote:Way too many compromises just to get "flying car" bragging rights IMHO.

I completely agree. It seems that every incarnation of flying car or aquatic car that I've seen since I was a kid reading Popular Science magazine has just been a demonstration of futility. The George Jetson dream of going out to the garage and commuting, solo, to work at flight level will always remain a dream. But I think commuting relatively short distances in the air has a definite future with electric STOL aircraft "taxis" - At least in really large cities with lots of wealthy people.
While I was shopping for my own aircraft, I contemplated the "efficiency" of owning one that I could park in my garage (e.g. RV-12 with a flatbed trailer). But then I realized that a simple 30 minute joyride would probably encompass 3 to 4 hours total with all the moving, parking, assembly, disassembly, and so on. Monetary efficiency maybe, but time efficiency, NOT.
But thanks for playing, Terrafugia. At least there's a new SLSA out there!

Well, that was short-lived. Just as soon as they got an special airworthiness certificate from the FAA, the owners (a Chinese company) pulled the plug in the U.S, and is moving everything to China. Guess we won't get to find out what it's like to fly.

AOPA story: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all ... edium=emai

Oh, it's going to be delicious to fly, but an hour after you land, you're going to be hungry again.

JJay wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 11:26 am So, an actual flying car gets a step closer to reality, though you'll need a pilot license to fly it. Terrafugia keeps promising, but now they have a real SLSA certification for their Transition (see https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/lsa ... rtificate/). Anyone willing to fly one?

I think I am good with my trusty Sting so I will pass ...

JJay wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:01 pm Well, that was short-lived. Just as soon as they got an special airworthiness certificate from the FAA, the owners (a Chinese company) pulled the plug in the U.S, and is moving everything to China. Guess we won't get to find out what it's like to fly.

AOPA story: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all ... edium=emai

They must have realized that few people in the US would buy it and it would be unprofitable.