Terrafugia at NYIAS

[jxdrl]

I'm currently working at the New York International Auto Show and snapped a few pictures of the Terrafugia display.

First, this is what I do (look up) - the rigging, structure, electrical and lighting.

Buzzword bonanza from your friends at Acura.

And the Terrafugia.

Wings extended.

 

[steingar]

I can't begin to imagine the money they've spent on R&D, certification, and schlepping the prototype around. I wonder how many of those they're going to have to sell to recoup those costs? I think David Neeleman was right when he said "People who invest in aviation are the biggest suckers in the world" after raising over a hundred million to start Jet Blue.

 

[jxdrl]

I agree. List is $279,000. They're taking deposits.

Didn't it just fly for something like 8 minutes on March 23rd? I've been hearing about it for years.

It's amazing how much everything in aviation costs and it's basicallly a "bargain" when anywhere else it is outrageous. Small market economics.

 

[Skylane81E]

And one door ding in a parking lot...

 

[steingar]

They certainly do a bang up job of promotion.

 

[flightwriter]

I spoke with Carl Dietrich at AOPA back in 2008. One thing is certain - for better or worse, they are absolutely committed to this concept (and appear to have the financial backing for it.) I just can't imagine there being a significant market for the Transition.

And I can't resist - "Human-Centered Synergy" from Acura translates to "Not one of our current vehicles is in any way superior to the driving experience of a 1992 Honda Accord." Talk about a company that has completely lost its way.

 

[FlySince9]

So you spend 270K+... you fly to grandma's... on the drive from the airport, some Ditzy 16 year old girl, texting her boyfriend, T-Bones you. Now you're on a bus to get home?

Enjoy!

Even if I could afford it (as a toy) I wouldn't buy it... Great concept but not real practical IMHO...

 

[alfadog]

For the price of a good LSA and a smokin' car, you can have a crap LSA and a crap car ;-)

 

[steingar]

I myself would rather the gyro thingie in the other thread.

Then again, perhaps I am too negative. At least they are trying something different. In the days of declining pilot populations and disappearing airports, it certainly is a positive development.

 

[Skylane81E]

I myself would rather the gyro thingie in the other thread.

Then again, perhaps I am too negative. At least they are trying something different. In the days of declining pilot populations and disappearing airports, it certainly is a positive development.

I agree, the gyro is more up my alley, but kudos to terrafugia

 

[kimberlyanne546]

My gosh, that's one hell of a blind spot. In California you could not change lanes in that thing and would get hit. Yikes.

 

[jxdrl]

And I can't resist - "Human-Centered Synergy" from Acura translates to "Not one of our current vehicles is in any way superior to the driving experience of a 1992 Honda Accord." Talk about a company that has completely lost its way.

The new NSX is pretty cool but, that was unveiled in Detroit so it's not actually new. However, the Mini Yachtsman was there.

This is practical. It also has a shark-proof undercoating.

 

[flightwriter]

The new NSX is pretty cool but, that was unveiled in Detroit so it's not actually new.

Good point, so there is some hope. Trouble is, the NSX isn't a current model (late-2014 at the earliest) and I also doubt it will be as pure and simple as the original was. Apart from the NSX, Acura is only a mix of restyled and rather non-sporting Hondas -- Japan's version of Lincoln.

 

[flightwriter]

My gosh, that's one hell of a blind spot. In California you could not change lanes in that thing and would get hit. Yikes.

Amen! And I doubt those tiny retractable side mirrors would offer much help - notice that they only stick out as far as the folded wings do.

In fact, at first I thought they were "curb feelers" -- "if these break off, stop NOW!"

 

[kimberlyanne546]

Good point, so there is some hope. Trouble is, the NSX isn't a current model (late-2014 at the earliest) and I also doubt it will be as pure and simple as the original was. Apart from the NSX, Acura is only a mix of restyled and rather non-sporting Hondas -- Japan's version of Lincoln.

Wait, I saw on Top Gear the sadness when they announced no more NSX right? In other words, weren't there a few years that ZERO NSX cars were made? I know very little about them, but they seem awesome.

 

[flightwriter]

Wait, I saw on Top Gear the sadness when they announced no more NSX right? In other words, weren't there a few years that ZERO NSX cars were made? I know very little about them, but they seem awesome.

Honda stopped building the NSX in 2005, I think - so any new model is an improvement. The first generation (which was built for 16 years - a length of time virtually unheard of for a Japanese car - though with constant improvements) was amazing, a truly elemental sports car. Almost nothing frivolous was added.

 

[zaitcev]

I think Terrafuga Transition could be a nice airplane if they just took everything automotive out of it and let it be towed like Icon promises with A5. Probably could cut the price in half.

 

[jxdrl]

Good point, so there is some hope. Trouble is, the NSX isn't a current model (late-2014 at the earliest) and I also doubt it will be as pure and simple as the original was. Apart from the NSX, Acura is only a mix of restyled and rather non-sporting Hondas -- Japan's version of Lincoln.

I heard part of their press rehearsal saying something like 8 or so production cars have been debuted this year and there is more to come - 14 maybe. They're definitely just rebuilt Hondas with some amenities.

I think GM was the worst in the past - a Denali with the same dash as a Silverado Work Truck - 3 different midsize SUVs that were exactly the same at one time - Blazer, Bravada, Jimmy. - 4 if you count the early Trailblazer

I'm glad they "failed"

Lincoln's reworking of the Ford cars is okay by me. They seem to be a little original but I've never really looked that closely at them.

 

[EppyGA]

I think GM was the worst in the past - a Denali with the same dash as a Silverado Work Truck - 3 different midsize SUVs that were exactly the same at one time - Blazer, Bravada, Jimmy. - 4 if you count the early Trailblazer

You mean like the:

Nova
Omega
Ventura
Appollo

 

[jpower]

You mean like the:

Nova
Omega
Ventura
Appollo

No matter how many times my dad tells me the story of the Chevy Nova, he always has to tell it just one more time. For those who don't know, the story goes that Chevy couldn't sell cars in Spanish-speaking countries because "Nova" translates to "doesn't go." After a little poking around a while back, I found that the story doesn't really hold true...but my dad still tells it allll the time.

 

[denverpilot]

Lincoln's reworking of the Ford cars is okay by me. They seem to be a little original but I've never really looked that closely at them.

You forgot Mercury. Which they dropped.

All Fords used to come out in three trims also. Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury.

So... It's probably not the logical reason for GM failing.

 

[jxdrl]

It's pretty much the norm in the auto industry. Take a look at the Porsche model selector. I think it's around 50.

 

[Skylane81E]

Dodge. Chrysler

Charger 300
Avenger 200
Grand caravan town and country


Yada yada

 

[Dan Thomas]

Then again, perhaps I am too negative. At least they are trying something different. In the days of declining pilot populations and disappearing airports, it certainly is a positive development.

Different? Many attempts have been made at creating a flying car. None have succeeded and this one sure doesn't look promising to me, especially for nearly $300K. Flying cars tend to be lousy cars and lousy airplanes. Where would one park that thing downtown? It looks pretty long, and would attract far too much attention from touchy-feely tirekickers. And the hull insurance rates...I can only guess what they'll be. Every ding will be critical damage.


Dan

 

[Cap'n Jack]

My gosh, that's one hell of a blind spot. In California you could not change lanes in that thing and would get hit. Yikes.

and in NYC you just change lanes and it works out somehow. I think the traffic just doesn't move fast enough to get hit

 

[roncachamp]

Different? Many attempts have been made at creating a flying car. None have succeeded and this one sure doesn't look promising to me, especially for nearly $300K. Flying cars tend to be lousy cars and lousy airplanes. Where would one park that thing downtown? It looks pretty long, and would attract far too much attention from touchy-feely tirekickers. And the hull insurance rates...I can only guess what they'll be. Every ding will be critical damage.

Those arent flying cars, those are vehicles that convert from car to airplane to car. They all require airports, a true flying car doesn't need an airport. To my knowledge the only successful ones are works of fiction; the DeLorean from Back to the Future and George Jetson's car.

 

[silver-eagle]

As I recall when it was first announced, the price was around 130k. It is now double that. The costs involved include making it road worthy (DOT) and fitting into the LSA. Their first test flight of the original prototype was a couple of years ago. What you see here is the "production" version, or so I heard.
A big expensive toy. If I was making 4M a year, I'd have one or two.