BY DAN HEATH
Staff Writer
March 20, 2009 03:28 am
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PLATTSBURGH — The prototype of a "flying car" completed seven successful test flights at Plattsburgh International Airport this month.
The Terrafugia Transition Roadable Aircraft Proof of Concept is a two-seat aircraft designed to take off and land at local airports and also drive on the road.
"We loved testing up in Plattsburgh," Terrafugia Vice President of Product Development Andrew Heafitz said Thursday. "The 11,000-foot runway was perfect for our flight tests."
The March 5 to 7 test flights involved taking off and landing in a straight line, all within the runway space.
Deputy Clinton County Administrator Rodney Brown said no money was received for the test flights.
"As an airport, we want to be receptive to any number of ventures," he said, noting Terrafugia personnel came from the Boston area because the airport was able to meet their needs for multiple test times and storage of the aircraft.
Heafitz said test pilot Phil Meteer, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, described the test flights as being remarkable in that they were unremarkable and that the aircraft handled very smoothly.
In a press release, the company states the aircraft can fly up to 450 miles at more than 115 miles per hour. It is capable of taking off over a 50-foot-high obstacle at a distance of 1,700 feet. The front-wheel-drive vehicle can be driven at highway speeds on the ground and fits inside a standard garage. It is 6 feet, 9 inches tall and 80 inches wide with its wings folded.
Both modes of operation are fueled by high-octane, unleaded gasoline from an everyday gas station. It is rated to get 30 miles per gallon on the road at highway speeds.
Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Mass., will continue flight tests and development of the aircraft. The company has received more than 40 orders, each with a refundable $10,000 down payment.
It plans the first deliveries for 2011, at a projected cost of $194,000.
A pilot will need certification as a sports pilot to fly the aircraft, Heaftitz said, which requires 20 hours of flying time. That is half the time required for a regular pilot's license.
He said the aircraft presents a number of advantages for the pilot, including the ability to drive under inclement weather rather than fly through it.
The pilot will have his ground transportation with him at all times, negating the need for a rental car upon reaching his destination. There is a cargo area with room for skis, fishing poles or golf clubs.
The aircraft converts to ground transportation within 30 seconds after the push of a button in the cockpit, Heafitz said.
"We tried to keep it as simple as possible. You don't even have to get out of the plane."
Terrafugia is a team of 10 people, founded by five pilots who met at MIT. The company name is Latin for "escape from land."
They have been working on the concept for four years and spent two years to build the prototype.
Initial taxi testing was done at Lawrence (Mass.) Airport.
Terrafugia is a privately funded company.
E-mail Dan Heath at: dheath@pressrepublican.com
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Photos
The Terrafugia Transition Roadable Aircraft went through seven successful test flights at Plattsburgh International Airport. The two-seater is designed to take off and land at local airports, then drive on roads with its wings folded.
The Terrafugia Transition Roadable Aircraft will undergo further testing. Terrafugia Vice President of Product Development Andrew Heafitz said the company has received more than 40 refundable $10,000 deposits. The aircraft is expected to be available in 2011 at a cost of $194,000.