Developersunveileda scale model of the redesigned Transition "roadable aircraft" (pictured in a digitalrendering) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Monday. The new design is both arear-wheel drive road vehicle and a light sport aircraft that cancruiseat 105 miles (170 kilometers) an hour.
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Developed by the Terrafugia company, thetweakeddesign—which adds carlike headlights and alicense plateholder, among other things—follows a proof-of-concept Transition, which was successfully tested in 2009.
Thewaiverallows the Transition toremaineclassified as a light sport aircraft, despite extra weight that was added as designers brought the vehicle intocompliancewith Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for road vehicles.
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The Transition's automotive safety features include operator and passenger airbags, an energy-absorbing crush structure in the vehicle's nose, and arigidsafetycageto protectoccupants.
A rendering of the Transition's interior shows the two-seat cockpit with its touch-screeninterfaceand GPS navigation system. According to Terrafugia's website, Transition-specific pilottrainingcan be completed in as little as 20 hours.
The proof-of-concept Transition fliesalongsideachaseplane during a May 2009 test flight. According to Terrafugia, the new design features improvements based on dataacquiredduring drive and flight testing of the proof-of-concept model.
Uçan Araba - Flying Car