A: Terrafugia, Inc. is based in Woburn, MA, and was begun in 2004 to bring the Transition® roadable aircraft to market. Terrafugia’s mission is the expansion of personal mobility through the practical integration of land and air travel.
Q: What is the Transition®, and what makes the Transition® different from past attempts at a dual-use (land and air) kind of vehicle?
The Transition® is a roadable aircraft: a multi-purpose vehicle that is capable of flight, yet is street legal like any other automobile. Like any vehicle of this type (multi-purpose), the Transition® is an engineering compromise. It is common wisdom that “flying-cars are both poor cars and poor aircraft, so they will never be appealing.” Terrafugia intends to turn that statement on its head with a fresh design philosophy: that of designing an aircraft with the added functionality of being able to fold its wings, drive off the airport on any surface road, and park in your garage. Due to the way Terrafugia has engineered the vehicle, it is a compromise that has already appealed to many people. The Transition® will serve the needs of pilots – both in the air and on the ground – and has been hailed as the best dual-use concept to date.
Q: Where does the name Terrafugia come from?
A: Terrafugia is the combination of Latin roots. “Terra” means “Earth” while “fugia” was derived from “fugere”, which means “to escape.” “Terrafugia” loosely translates as “Escape the Earth”.
Q: Who is the Transition® for?
A: The Transition® is for pilots. It is not intended for use by short-distance commuters, by people running errands, or for any trip through city traffic or under 100 miles. Instead, the Transition® will be filling a currently under served niche in transportation. If you travel between 100 and 500 miles at a stretch, particularly if your trip is either starting or ending in a more suburban or rural area, then the Transition® is for you. If you don't already have a pilot's license, you will need to get one before you can operate the Transition®. The Transition® is for pilots, businesspeople, weekend travelers, and anyone who values their mobility and independence.
Q: Will the Transition® fall into the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category?
A: Terrafugia is targeting the Light Sport category for the Transition®. While weight remains a top design challenge, the Transition® is targeted to be a Special Light Sport (S-LSA) vehicle. This means that it is fully factory certified (not a kit), and can be used by a Sport Pilot or by more experienced operators for instruction or other commercial operation.
A common misconception is that there are operability limitations placed on LSA vehicles that make them undesirable for Private Pilots. Actually, these limitations are on Sport Pilots who have not been trained for the operation in question, not on Light-Sport aircraft themselves.
Q: Do I need a current FAA Medical to fly the Transition®?
A: No, but per the Sport Pilot rules, you need a valid driver’s license. Also, to fly as a Sport Pilot, you must never have been denied a medical. For more information on Sport Pilot regulations, please refer to www.sportpilot.org, which is maintained by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) or www.faa.gov.
Q: Is there an airport near where I live or to where I want to go?
Chances are good that there is a public use General Aviation airport near your home, place of business, and travel destination. With over 5,300 public use airports around the United States, and a total of nearly 20,000 public and private fields, you're sure to be just a short drive from any of them. The Aircraft Owners' and Pilots' Association (AOPA) hosts a site that will let you search for airports near where you want to be. Click here to be redirected to that site.