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在路上遭遇堵車的時(shí)候，你是不是曾經(jīng)有過“如果車能長(zhǎng)翅膀飛起來多好”這樣的想法呢？現(xiàn)在，這個(gè)想法馬上就要變成現(xiàn)實(shí)了。美國(guó)馬薩諸塞州一家名為Terrafugia（拉丁語意思為：逃離陸地）的公司已經(jīng)成功研制出了一款能夠在一分鐘內(nèi)從陸地起飛升空的“有翅膀的汽車”，并將其命名為Transition。日前，這款汽車已被美國(guó)聯(lián)邦航空管理局(FAA)核準(zhǔn)為輕型運(yùn)動(dòng)飛機(jī)，將能合法地在公路上行駛并能在天空飛行，預(yù)計(jì)將在明年年底開始出售。這款“飛車”兩邊有可折疊的機(jī)翼，起飛時(shí)會(huì)自動(dòng)打開，著陸行駛時(shí)便會(huì)收起恢復(fù)成正常汽車的模樣。雖然名為“飛車”，但是在起飛和降落的時(shí)候，跑到仍然是個(gè)必需的硬件設(shè)施。據(jù)介紹，“飛車“的飛行高度為一萬英尺，最大起飛重量為1430磅，陸地油耗約為每加侖行駛30英里，標(biāo)價(jià)19.4萬美元。如果用戶想安裝無線電、GPS或者全機(jī)傘降裝置則需要另外付費(fèi)。該公司介紹，設(shè)計(jì)這款車是為了讓人們的出行更便捷、也更省錢：人們可以開車到機(jī)場(chǎng)，然后從跑道直接起飛，不用像現(xiàn)在那樣把車存在機(jī)場(chǎng)轉(zhuǎn)而搭乘飛機(jī)。另外，這款車也不會(huì)像私人飛機(jī)那樣需要在機(jī)場(chǎng)花高昂的停機(jī)費(fèi)用，它是汽車，所以你只需要把它停在自家的車庫(kù)里就可以。
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This undated handout photo provided by Terrafugia, shows The Terrafugia Transition shortly after a takeoff. A major hurdle to production of the planes was removed recently when FAA granted the company a waiver to weight restrictions. |
If cars had wings, they could fly — and that just might happen, beginning next year. The company Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Mass., says it plans to deliver its car-plane, the Transition, to customers by the end of 2011. It recently cleared a major hurdle when the Federal Aviation Administration granted a special weight limit exemption to the Transition.
"It's the next 'wow' vehicle," said Terrafugia vice president Richard Gersh. "Anybody can buy a Ferrari, but as we say, Ferraris don't fly."
The Transition is a long way from cartoon dad George Jetson's flying car zooming above traffic, or even the magical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
"There is no launch button on the (instrument) panel," Gersh noted.
Rather, the car-plane has wings that unfold for flying — a process the company says takes one minute — and fold back up for driving. A runway is still required to takeoff and land.
The Transition is being marketed more as a plane that drives than a car that flies, although it is both. The company has been working with FAA to meet aircraft regulations, and with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to meet vehicle safety regulations
The company is pitching the Transition to private pilots as a more convenient — and cheaper — way to fly. They say it eliminates the hassle trying to find another mode of transportation to get to and from airports: You drive the car to the airport and then you're good to go. When you land, you fold up the wings and hit the road. There are no expensive hangar fees because you don't have to store it at an airport — you park it in the garage at home.
The plane is designed to fly primarily under 10,000 feet. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers. Gas mileage on the road is about 30 mpg.
Terrafugia says the Transition reduces the potential for an accident by allowing pilots to drive under bad weather instead of flying into marginal conditions.
The Transition's price tag: $194,000. But there may be additional charges for options like a radio, transponder or GPS. Another option is a full-plane parachute.
"If you get into a very dire situation, it's the ultimate safety option," Gersh said.
So far, the company has more than 70 orders with deposits, he said.
Terrafugia is Latin for "escape from the land." The company was founded in 2006 by five Massachusetts Institute of Technology grad students who were also pilots. They received some seed money from the school.
The concept of a car-plane has been around since at least the 1950s, but it's possible that Terrafugia may become the first company to mass-produce one, FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said.
"We're working very closely with them, but there are still some remaining steps," Brown said.
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(Agencies)
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