Transition roadable aircraft
Terrafugia originally expected initial deliveries of the Transition light sport aircraft in 2015 or 2016.[23][24] The estimated purchase price was originally announced as US$194,000 and was increased to US$279,000 as of December 2011.[25] As a light sport aircraft, the pilot will be required to hold a Sport Pilot or higher certificate, which requires a minimum of 20 hours of dual instruction to obtain, as well as passing an FAA oral and practical examination. Owners will be able to drive amidst normal street traffic from their garage to an airport where the wings can be deployed for take-off and flight within a range of 400 nmi. It will carry two people plus luggage and will operate on a single tank of premium unleaded gas.[26] The design of the production version was made public at AirVenture Oshkosh on 26 July 2010 and no longer included a front canard.[27]
The Transition Proof-of-Concept's maiden flight on 5 March 2009 lasted 37 seconds and covered 3000 ft of the runway at the Plattsburgh International Airport.[28] The test pilot then conducted 6 additional takeoffs and landings.[29]
In June 2010, the FAA granted Terrafugia an exemption for the Transition's extra takeoff weight.[30] The added weight accommodates the Transition's road safety features, which is needed to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.[30] On June 29, 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also granted exemptions allowing the Transition to use a polycarbonate windshield, to use tires suited for highway and aircraft use but not typically certified for multi-purpose vehicle use, to not include an electronic stability control system that could inadvertently cut engine power during flight, and finally, to use regular instead of advanced airbag deployment.[31]
After undergoing drive tests and high-speed taxi tests, the production prototype completed its first flight on March 23, 2012 at Plattsburgh, New York.[32][33][34] The production prototype then made its auto show debut at the 2012 New York International Auto Show in April, 2012.[35] In June, 2012, Terrafugia announced that the Transition had completed the first of six phases of flight testing.[36][37] By July, the second phase of testing was underway, expanding the performance envelope in the sky and continuing drive testing on the ground.[38]
The company's next-generation concept, the TF-2, is an aircraft that would have carried both cargo and passenger loads.[39]
