Another take on the "Flying Car"

Has anyone heard of the company "Terrafugia Inc." ?

They are developing a sort of flying car,which has wings that fold up so you can drive on the road!
They are taking pre-orders now and I think the vehicles will be ready in 2009.
Heres a CGI clip of what they look like and how the fly/drive:

www.terrafugia.com...

"The Transition® is being designed to be a factory certified Light-Sport Airplane.
Two seats, side-by-side.
GTOW: 1320 lbs (600 kg)
Useful Load: 550 lbs (250 kg)
Fuel Capacity: 20 gal (120 lbs / 54 kg)
Engine: 100 hp Rotax 912 S (four-stroke)
Vs = 45 kts (51 mph, 83 km/hr)
Vr = 70 kts (80 mph, 130 km/hr)
Cruise Speed (75% power): 100 kts (115 mph, 185 km/hr)
Fuel Consumption (75% power): 4.5 gph
Range: 400 nm (460 mi, 740 km)
Takeoff Distance over 50 ft obstacle: 1,700 ft (520 m)
Fuel: Super-unleaded autogas or 100LL
Wingspan: 27.5 ft (8.4 m)
Length: 18.75 ft (5.7 m)
Height: 6.75 ft (2.1 m)
On-Road Width: 6.5 ft (2.0 m"

www.terrafugia.com...

Looks like fun,and a bit more affordable than the elusive Moller car!
What do you think of it?

Looks like a fun time lol. Imagine the looks on all ur friends face when they see the wings come out of ur new car ahahahahaha

Slashdot just had an article on this...

slashdot.org...

The problem with flying cars is not the car. It is the flying. People don't know how to fly. It isn't built in. We learn quickly, but most people just can't go get a little booklet, take a few lessons and OK at it, like cars. Being a pilot just isn't that easy and the responsibility is a lot higher.

So the problem with the flying car is the people who are supposed to drive/fly them.... it just isn't politically correct to say that.

.. so just blaim oil prices instead.

It is perhaps the case that we would see lots of traffic accidents caused by the flying car crash in the future.

Flying car appears to be convenient and it is a wonderful invention to avoid traffic jam,but we should by no means ignore its advantages.It costs too much fuel and not everyone is capable of driving it. Driving a flying car is nearly as same as driving a plane and the drivers ought to get themselves well trained to cause no accidents.

I don't hope that one day there would be a flying car crashing on the the roof of my house

that's a really bad prototype. if the wings fold up on the side how do you open the doors to get out and how in the world will you carry your luggage?

Good point Jedi,
And I thought It could do with some rear view mirrors too-you got a big blind spot with those wings folded.

Protector-hit the nail on the head there.It is the fact that the masses can't fly rather than the technology that is holding back flying cars these days.

Picture the scenario:

Cruising at 95 mph - you already got 9 points on you licence, one more speeding ticket and your banned. Under cover cop car turns on the blues and twos. Hehehehe can catch me I'm the gingerbread man (with a flying car)