Airplane + car = cool I need one of these

[slick97spirit]

Awesome and for only $194,000 and change

 

 

http://www.terrafugia.com/index.html

[Flyinfool]

OK

Yes I want one.

Yes I have a drivers license.

Yes I have the pilots license.

Yes I have access to an airport.

No I can't afford one.

 

Dang, one no can trump 4 yeses.

[Guest PlaneCrazy]

Gimme me 200 grand and I'll get you a nice car, a nice 'real' airplane and still have money left over to buy myself something good

 

The average age of most airplanes out there nowadays is somewhere around 25-30 years with many private planes still in service that are 40 and 50 years old. The average age of any automobile on the road these days is around 6-7 years old.

 

Driving a vehicle on the road is rough on them. Do you really think these little toys are going to be able to hop across some city during rush hour and not take possible damage or have wear and tear that will compromise the safety of it's flying?

 

Sure, they may have made the concept work, but I would bet a case of beer that the insurance companies will be what keep this company from success. Insurance rates for private airplanes are high enough. Imagine what it would be on an airplane that also can drive on roads (therefore opening them up to liability and risk associated with automobiles) and sure as heck, some idiot is going to try and take off with one of these things on some country back road... just to impress his girlfriend or something. Wait for the insurance jump after that happens!

 

[Flyinfool]

I do not think that they are touting this thing as an everyday driver for the street. There are not a lot of "real" airplanes that can be bought new for less than $200K. Of course you can get a nice C172, 20-30 years old for around $65K and the rest of that $200K will get a lot of rental car time at your destination airport.

But there are some that do not want the service issues that come with a 30 year old aircraft and can afford new toys. A new C172 is around $250K.

 

Yes I still want my very own airplane, but :mo money: It just is not in the budget. I do not know that I could buy something this new AND radical sight unseen even if money was no object.

 

The ad says that the wings are folded and opened electrically, I would sure hate an electrical problem that caused the wings to fold while flying.

 

I do have the plane picked out that I would build someday when I win the lotto.

[slick97spirit]

Gimme me 200 grand and I'll get you a nice car, a nice 'real' airplane and still have money left over to buy myself something good

 

The average age of most airplanes out there nowadays is somewhere around 25-30 years with many private planes still in service that are 40 and 50 years old. The average age of any automobile on the road these days is around 6-7 years old.

 

Driving a vehicle on the road is rough on them. Do you really think these little toys are going to be able to hop across some city during rush hour and not take possible damage or have wear and tear that will compromise the safety of it's flying?

 

Sure, they may have made the concept work, but I would bet a case of beer that the insurance companies will be what keep this company from success. Insurance rates for private airplanes are high enough. Imagine what it would be on an airplane that also can drive on roads (therefore opening them up to liability and risk associated with automobiles) and sure as heck, some idiot is going to try and take off with one of these things on some country back road... just to impress his girlfriend or something. Wait for the insurance jump after that happens!

 

 

 

I'm an insurance agent and yes, you are correct, but it's still the coolest auto/plane I've ever seen. Would I insure one, probably not. Would I take off from some country road....Dang right I would if I could!!!

[Guest Swifty]

I'm at AirVenture in Oshkosh now and saw this sign in the cockpit of a guy's aircar that he DROVE 1400 miles to get here...

In other news...did you hear that Roush crashed his jet on approach? I left the flightline 2 minutes too soon and missed that one.

[Guest PlaneCrazy]

Ya, it's a cool concept and a sweet looking machine. I'll give you that. And I bet most of the orders he has for them are from people who can afford a not-too-practical toy just so they can brag about it.

 

I guess as an aircraft mechanic that works for a small regional airline that has been around for over 65 years... I'm a little too grounded in reality. I've worked on small twin otters up to Boeing 767's so i know what an aircraft can take, pretty much. And these nifty little toys don't look like they would make 1000 flight hours before some serious issues. Also, you don't see a lot of real numbers advertised for this machine. The fact that they had to get an extra hundred pounds or so exempted from the FAA light aircraft rules just to squeeze a couple of airbags in (and some other "road" safety items) doesn't make me think that it will be good for anything other then the ubiquitous "$100 hamburger" weekend trip.

 

One of these days, I'm going to be able to escape from my job here and build the plane I always wanted to build - A Murphy Moose on amphibs

[TDunc]

Propeller slips in the trailer hitch,

 

Ultra lite wings attach below the floorboards,

 

Second Gens Can Fly!! :stirthepot:

[Drreb]

Well just another thing us bikers got watch out for.......It's a bird it's a plane, what the heck is it....

[Trader]

I'd love to see a R/C model done up of that.

Something about 80" wingspan would be cool....expecially to watch it collapse the wings to "drive" off the field!