JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 16

flying cars
combination thereof, while carrying up to 450 kg. This payload requirement represents up to four warfighters and their equipment, including a critical medical evacuation capability. It is envisioned that guidance and flight control systems will allow for semiautonomous flight, permitting a non-pilot to perform VTOLs, transition into forward flight, and update the flight path in response to changing mission requirements or threats. The programme’s first phase will involve trade studies to develop and mature propulsion systems, adaptable wing structures, advanced lightweight materials, the advanced flight control system, the air/ground configuration designs, and energy distribution systems. DARPA has selected six vendors to participate in this 12-month effort: AAI Corporation and Lockheed Martin Company, prime system integrators; Carnegie Mellon University and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, developers of critical enabling technology; and Aurora Flight Sciences partnered with ThinGap, and Metis Design Corp, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) recipients. n
More information: www.darpa.mil

The Terrafugia Transition

jec composites magazine / No62 January - February 2011
The Terrafugia transition unfolds its wings (1: closed; 2: opened)

he Transition® can take off or land at any publicuse general aviation airport with at least 2,500 m of runway. This represents a majority of the over 5,000 public airports in the United States. On average, you're within 50 km or less of one of these fields anywhere in the country. On the ground, the Transition® can be driven on any road and parked in a standard parking space or household garage.

Since it will be certified as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), the Transition® will require at least a sport pilot license to fly, which requires a minimum of 20 hours of flight time and passing a simple practical test in the aircraft. The pilot will also need a valid driver's licence for use on the ground.

at the root and once at the midspan, and are stowed vertically on the sides of the vehicle in less than 30 seconds. Simultaneously, the engine power is directed to the wheels with a continuously variable transmission.

such as airbags, crumple zones, a passenger safety cage and other automotive safety systems which are found in today's automobiles will increase the safety of the Transition®, both on the road and in the air.

Orders Special exemption from the FAA
The FAA has granted the Transition® a special exemption. This exemption will allow a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 650 kg instead of 600 kg, the MTOW for other non-amphibious LSAs. This additional weight accommodates the structure and equipment required to comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. Items First delivery is scheduled for late 2011. Over 80 aircraft have been reserved, representing an order backlog of over $16 million. The final purchase price has not been set. The company is currently in the process of updating its cost estimates. Terrafugia expects the price will be between $200,000 and $250,000. n
More information: www.terrafugia.com

Converting
Before flying, the pilot extends the wings and performs a standard preflight. The engine power is directed to the propeller for flight through a carbon-fibre drive shaft. After landing, the pilot activates the electromechanical wing-folding mechanism from inside the cockpit. The wings fold, once

http://www.darpa.mil http://www.terrafugia.com

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011