One of the idiosyncratic stars of the 2012 New York Auto Show, just about one year ago, was the Terrafugia Transition. Proposing to bring the long-dreamed-of flying car to the masses – well, "masses" of people that can pick up a $279,000 check, at any rate – news about the Terrafugia has been pretty thin in the intervening 12 months. The good news, we hear, is that the paucity of press releases has been a result of the company working hard on bringing the Transition to market.
AOL Autos reports that the folks at Terrafugia are hard at work with the dual certification process that makes the vehicle such a complex one to bring to market. Having already cleared the hurdle of obtaining a VIN from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as an N-number from the Federal Aviation Administration (both achieved by way of the Transition prototype), the company must now have the vehicle completely certified by NHTSA. The FAA doesn't require certification for craft that fall into the "light sport" category, like the Transition, but the company is prepping for likely audits of its manufacturing and risk-management processes, nevertheless.
Terrafugia won't discuss exactly when its flying car might start actual production; at least not until the certification process has been completed. With that goal post still being a year or more out, don't expect to see your neighbor winging home in his Transition anytime soon. When production does begin (fingers crossed), the company expects to ramp slowly, building just two or three vehicles per month in the early going. Scroll down to watch the original debut video of the Transition.
AOL Autos reports that the folks at Terrafugia are hard at work with the dual certification process that makes the vehicle such a complex one to bring to market. Having already cleared the hurdle of obtaining a VIN from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as well as an N-number from the Federal Aviation Administration (both achieved by way of the Transition prototype), the company must now have the vehicle completely certified by NHTSA. The FAA doesn't require certification for craft that fall into the "light sport" category, like the Transition, but the company is prepping for likely audits of its manufacturing and risk-management processes, nevertheless.
Terrafugia won't discuss exactly when its flying car might start actual production; at least not until the certification process has been completed. With that goal post still being a year or more out, don't expect to see your neighbor winging home in his Transition anytime soon. When production does begin (fingers crossed), the company expects to ramp slowly, building just two or three vehicles per month in the early going. Scroll down to watch the original debut video of the Transition.
Featured Gallery Terrafugia Transition Flying Car: New York 2012
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