Freeway Bound: FAA Approved Flying Car
By Diana Cook
Designed by MIT-pedigreed engineers, the Terrafugia (“escape from land” in Latin) is prepared to take off as the world’s first flying car. The company got a huge boost earlier this year when the Federal Aviation Administration granted them a weight exemption that allowed the vehicle to be 110 pounds heavier than the normal maximum for a light sport aircraft. Thanks to this exemption, all the road essentials, like airbags and a structural cage have been worked into the new design.
While these automotive-style crash safety features are designed so that the Terrafugia will meet the stringent Federal Motor Vehicle Safety, I can’t help but wonder if air safety would be compromised. But hey, I’m no MIT brainiac, just a lowly Seton Hall University grad, so I will let the smarties worry about that one.
The Plauto (yes, I just made that word up) is expected to cost slightly less than $200,000 – but just imagine all the money you’d save with the ability to strategically fly over toll booths.
