Terrafugia introduces flying car straight out of The Jetsons on clarkhoward.com

Several years ago, Clark got extremely excited about a flying car called the Terrafugia (Latin for "escape from land").

Now a test model of the Terrafugia has had a successful maiden voyage. This 19-foot vehicle is part of a new category of airplanes called light sport aircrafts (LSA). Operators only need a minimum of 20 hours of training to operate LSAs. Maximum air speed is just a little over 100 mph.

The Terrafugia is not ready for prime-time quite yet. But it is expected to cost $194,000 when it rolls off the production line, according to what the company's CEO said in a TV interview.

Pocket change, right?

So move over, George Jetson. The day of the flying automobile is coming and will have some serious implications for "supercommuters" who travel more than 90 minutes one-way to work.

Speaking of traffic, one positive effect of the sour economy is that as people get laid off, they aren't on the roads like they once were. The question is, when the economy comes back, will traffic go right back to the level where it was? That remains to be seen.

What others are saying

StrongMobile Flying Car Project
You are cordially invited to see my project at www.strongware.com/dragon and view the video of my full-size mockup model
By Rich Strong @ 10/12/09 10:40:29 AMreport abuse
Old idea that hasn't worked yet
There have been attempts at "flying cars" since the 1930's

A famous one was the Gwin Aircar.
another was a Pinto (IIRC) that had wings you could strap on. This was featured in one of the late 1960's early 1970's James Bond movies

The Ercoupe was supposed to be "the model T of Aviation"... an airplane that was virtually impossible to stall or spin. Built in the late 1930's...

An aircraft requires far more training of the operater than an automobile. this is one of many issues.

Light aircraft operated in incliment weather = a crash waiting to happen. Inadequately trained pilots guarantee fatalities.
By FHH @ 09/04/09 08:17:11 PMreport abuse
Oh Geez!
From my perspective, this idea just doesn't work. Around here folks have trouble staying in their own lane, stopping for Red Lights, and maintaining proper distance between them and another car (1 car length for each 10 MPH) And now they'll be flying over my house? Gadzooks, I better buy a house helmet!
By Man in the Moon @ 06/23/09 04:36:56 PMreport abuse
flight
I was reading of cars and trucks requiring no wheels moving without roads as early as 1960. It hasnt happened yet
Greg
By gregory Ellsworth @ 06/16/09 05:39:56 PMreport abuse
Flying Car or Driving Airplane?
Actually the term street legal aircraft seems more appropriate since this requires a pilots license to fly and a runway at an airport to take off and land.
By Mike @ 06/16/09 12:36:04 PMreport abuse
Flying car
Just ask Henry Ford if most of the people didn't come up with reasons on why the new automobile would not be common among the common man. You have to be optimistic! Or someone else will show you how to make it happen!
By DJ @ 06/15/09 04:07:28 PMreport abuse
VERTICAL TAKEOFF/LANDING
The only way a "flying car" will ever be remotely possible is with vertical takeoff and landing.

Lets put the inherent issue of flying just being too complicated for half of the drivers out there, lets pretend there aren't issues with available airspace too, just for argument's sake.

Do you hate waiting for takeoff? Just sitting on the taxiway in a commercial jet stinks, it can take hours, right? How do you think that would work at the end of the day in an office building parking lot? Let's say every big office building constructed their own runway to relieve congestion, you'd still have, what, maybe a hundred in front of you? Enjoy your 200 minute wait for takeoff.
By Pilot @ 06/15/09 03:24:26 PMreport abuse
Car Plane
Insurance & property taxes (NC) would be too expensive as well. Think about all of the morons talking on the phone while flying. Phone in one hand, cigarette in the other hand, coffee between the legs, music blaring, and who knows what else. Lack of sleep, alcohol, medication, wacky 2-backo....
By Unfortunate One @ 06/15/09 02:05:22 PMreport abuse
Sure it's cool, but...
...it will also be much less fun when fuel gets back to >$4/gallon, and impossible to use after the TSA/FAA & Homeland Security finally destroy what is left of general aviation in America.
By John the Econ @ 06/15/09 12:52:55 PMreport abuse
Almost
The prop will need to enclosed in a shroud for protection. There is no way they are going to allow an exposed prop in traffic. Also, fold up wings will have a height clearance issue going into parking decks, McDonalds, gas station, etc. Commuter on/off ramps/strips for the air traffic would have to be created, etc. So this falls into the Segway promise, lots of hype, but not going to happen in the current incarnation. The real change in traffic will come from computer controlled lanes where cars join/exit from carvans of cars, as was discussed in the Popular Science/mechanics issues a year or so ago. This is closer to reality and uses existing technology to do so. All they have to do is add the magnetic strips to the HOV lanes and they are good to go.

George Jetson, not anytime soon.
By Lee @ 06/15/09 12:48:59 PMreport abuse
Portland Radio Station 1961
Radio station KISN used a flying car for traffic reports in 1961. See http://tiny.cc/GIqp7
By John @ 06/09/09 01:15:52 PMreport abuse
Clark's Flying Car and Jetson Rant
I listen to Clark daily, and out of all the opening statements I have ever heard him make, most are very informative and helpful, but yesterday's was the most ridiculous ever! Flying cars? Massive numbers of individuals commuting with personal aircraft, will NEVER happen. Not in the near future, not in the far. Not only will it never be affordable for most of us, the price of this monstrosity and any other cheap "bottom of the barrel" aircraft, would cost at least 200k, another 5-10k a year in maintenance and an unfathomable amount of cost for fuel. There would be no way to control or monitor the air traffic, the FAA and air-traffic controllers are already over-worked with the airline industry, putting millions of us in lower flying crafts would be a nightmare! The FAA would never allow this. I do admit it is pretty simple to obtain a pilot's license if one has the cash to train, but the real difficultly, the real impossibility in making flight a everyday thing for everyone, is the cost and control. WILL NEVER HAPPEN
By Chris @ 06/09/09 11:24:06 AMreport abuse
border crossing
All my buddies from Mexico will just fly over the newly-installed U.S. border fence and drop off their loads of illegals.
By Jo Mama @ 06/08/09 11:40:15 PMreport abuse
This has got to be a joke right!!!
Cessna make a good bird, but even the 150 with a full load of fuel has only a useful load of about 390lbs and I weigh about 210lbs so the most that a passenger or bag's could weigh would be is 180lbs without being overloaded on takeoff. So much about a terrorist attack from a small plane. The Army Air Force was dropping 500lb bombs on the German's and the sons of Nippon and not one at a time during WW2. Besides Density Altitude on a hot summer day will make you run the wheels off of a small plane. Don't know what I'm talking about- Be a Pilot-Learn to Fly-Or Stay Limited-And For God Sakes Stay on the Ground and out of the way, You just really don't have the Right Stuff.
By Grandpa Gene @ 06/08/09 08:00:06 PMreport abuse
Carplane
Just buy a cessna. Built better
By Vincent @ 06/08/09 06:51:48 PMreport abuse
reservation
if i had any guts, i would reserve one today. and when an impatient multi-millionaire finally wants one in 2011, i'll sell my right for $10,000.
By z @ 06/08/09 05:40:44 PMreport abuse
Flyin Car
I don't see this becoming a reality with the existence of terrorism. A few bad apples could cause major problems.
By Marcel @ 06/08/09 05:40:28 PMreport abuse
Most people now days can't drive a car in a straight line on a straight road. Could you imagine all the cars crisscrossing in the air hitting each other and falling on your house, schools, etc.
By me @ 06/08/09 04:11:26 PMreport abuse
Where the heck is my jetpack?
If I had a dollar for every flying car and aqua car prototype I've seen in the past 50 years, Clark and I could both eat a nice steak dinner at Morton's.
By Joe @ 06/08/09 03:24:18 PMreport abuse
TerraFugia
Speed need to be higher. Atlantians drive more than 100 on 85 and 285
By RunWild @ 06/08/09 02:10:41 PMreport abuse

StrongMobile Flying Car Project

You are cordially invited to see my project at www.strongware.com/dragon and view the video of my full-size mockup model

By Rich Strong @ 10/12/09 10:40:29 AMreport abuse

Old idea that hasn't worked yet

There have been attempts at "flying cars" since the 1930's

A famous one was the Gwin Aircar.
another was a Pinto (IIRC) that had wings you could strap on. This was featured in one of the late 1960's early 1970's James Bond movies

The Ercoupe was supposed to be "the model T of Aviation"... an airplane that was virtually impossible to stall or spin. Built in the late 1930's...

An aircraft requires far more training of the operater than an automobile. this is one of many issues.

Light aircraft operated in incliment weather = a crash waiting to happen. Inadequately trained pilots guarantee fatalities.

By FHH @ 09/04/09 08:17:11 PMreport abuse

Oh Geez!

From my perspective, this idea just doesn't work. Around here folks have trouble staying in their own lane, stopping for Red Lights, and maintaining proper distance between them and another car (1 car length for each 10 MPH) And now they'll be flying over my house? Gadzooks, I better buy a house helmet!

By Man in the Moon @ 06/23/09 04:36:56 PMreport abuse

flight

I was reading of cars and trucks requiring no wheels moving without roads as early as 1960. It hasnt happened yet
Greg

By gregory Ellsworth @ 06/16/09 05:39:56 PMreport abuse

Flying Car or Driving Airplane?

Actually the term street legal aircraft seems more appropriate since this requires a pilots license to fly and a runway at an airport to take off and land.

By Mike @ 06/16/09 12:36:04 PMreport abuse

Flying car

Just ask Henry Ford if most of the people didn't come up with reasons on why the new automobile would not be common among the common man. You have to be optimistic! Or someone else will show you how to make it happen!

By DJ @ 06/15/09 04:07:28 PMreport abuse

VERTICAL TAKEOFF/LANDING

The only way a "flying car" will ever be remotely possible is with vertical takeoff and landing.

Lets put the inherent issue of flying just being too complicated for half of the drivers out there, lets pretend there aren't issues with available airspace too, just for argument's sake.

Do you hate waiting for takeoff? Just sitting on the taxiway in a commercial jet stinks, it can take hours, right? How do you think that would work at the end of the day in an office building parking lot? Let's say every big office building constructed their own runway to relieve congestion, you'd still have, what, maybe a hundred in front of you? Enjoy your 200 minute wait for takeoff.

By Pilot @ 06/15/09 03:24:26 PMreport abuse

Car Plane

Insurance & property taxes (NC) would be too expensive as well. Think about all of the morons talking on the phone while flying. Phone in one hand, cigarette in the other hand, coffee between the legs, music blaring, and who knows what else. Lack of sleep, alcohol, medication, wacky 2-backo....

By Unfortunate One @ 06/15/09 02:05:22 PMreport abuse

Sure it's cool, but...

...it will also be much less fun when fuel gets back to >$4/gallon, and impossible to use after the TSA/FAA & Homeland Security finally destroy what is left of general aviation in America.

By John the Econ @ 06/15/09 12:52:55 PMreport abuse

Almost

The prop will need to enclosed in a shroud for protection. There is no way they are going to allow an exposed prop in traffic. Also, fold up wings will have a height clearance issue going into parking decks, McDonalds, gas station, etc. Commuter on/off ramps/strips for the air traffic would have to be created, etc. So this falls into the Segway promise, lots of hype, but not going to happen in the current incarnation. The real change in traffic will come from computer controlled lanes where cars join/exit from carvans of cars, as was discussed in the Popular Science/mechanics issues a year or so ago. This is closer to reality and uses existing technology to do so. All they have to do is add the magnetic strips to the HOV lanes and they are good to go.

George Jetson, not anytime soon.

By Lee @ 06/15/09 12:48:59 PMreport abuse

Portland Radio Station 1961

Radio station KISN used a flying car for traffic reports in 1961. See http://tiny.cc/GIqp7

By John @ 06/09/09 01:15:52 PMreport abuse

Clark's Flying Car and Jetson Rant

I listen to Clark daily, and out of all the opening statements I have ever heard him make, most are very informative and helpful, but yesterday's was the most ridiculous ever! Flying cars? Massive numbers of individuals commuting with personal aircraft, will NEVER happen. Not in the near future, not in the far. Not only will it never be affordable for most of us, the price of this monstrosity and any other cheap "bottom of the barrel" aircraft, would cost at least 200k, another 5-10k a year in maintenance and an unfathomable amount of cost for fuel. There would be no way to control or monitor the air traffic, the FAA and air-traffic controllers are already over-worked with the airline industry, putting millions of us in lower flying crafts would be a nightmare! The FAA would never allow this. I do admit it is pretty simple to obtain a pilot's license if one has the cash to train, but the real difficultly, the real impossibility in making flight a everyday thing for everyone, is the cost and control. WILL NEVER HAPPEN

By Chris @ 06/09/09 11:24:06 AMreport abuse

border crossing

All my buddies from Mexico will just fly over the newly-installed U.S. border fence and drop off their loads of illegals.

By Jo Mama @ 06/08/09 11:40:15 PMreport abuse

This has got to be a joke right!!!

Cessna make a good bird, but even the 150 with a full load of fuel has only a useful load of about 390lbs and I weigh about 210lbs so the most that a passenger or bag's could weigh would be is 180lbs without being overloaded on takeoff. So much about a terrorist attack from a small plane. The Army Air Force was dropping 500lb bombs on the German's and the sons of Nippon and not one at a time during WW2. Besides Density Altitude on a hot summer day will make you run the wheels off of a small plane. Don't know what I'm talking about- Be a Pilot-Learn to Fly-Or Stay Limited-And For God Sakes Stay on the Ground and out of the way, You just really don't have the Right Stuff.

By Grandpa Gene @ 06/08/09 08:00:06 PMreport abuse

Carplane

Just buy a cessna. Built better

By Vincent @ 06/08/09 06:51:48 PMreport abuse

reservation

if i had any guts, i would reserve one today. and when an impatient multi-millionaire finally wants one in 2011, i'll sell my right for $10,000.

By z @ 06/08/09 05:40:44 PMreport abuse

Flyin Car

I don't see this becoming a reality with the existence of terrorism. A few bad apples could cause major problems.

By Marcel @ 06/08/09 05:40:28 PMreport abuse

Most people now days can't drive a car in a straight line on a straight road. Could you imagine all the cars crisscrossing in the air hitting each other and falling on your house, schools, etc.

By me @ 06/08/09 04:11:26 PMreport abuse

Where the heck is my jetpack?

If I had a dollar for every flying car and aqua car prototype I've seen in the past 50 years, Clark and I could both eat a nice steak dinner at Morton's.

By Joe @ 06/08/09 03:24:18 PMreport abuse

TerraFugia

Speed need to be higher. Atlantians drive more than 100 on 85 and 285

By RunWild @ 06/08/09 02:10:41 PMreport abuse

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Jun 08, 2009 -- Terrafugia introduces flying car straight out of The Jetsons

What others are saying