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New-Tech Magazine Europe l 63
Convenience
The TF-X™ will carry four people in car-like comfort.
The TF-X™ will have a non-stop flight range of at least
500 miles.
The TF-X™ will fit into a standard construction single
car garage.
The TF-X™ will be able to take off vertically from a level
clearing of at least 100ft in diameter.
The TF-X™ will be able to drive on roads and highways
– providing true door-to-door convenience and an
automotive level of weather insensitivity.
In order to facilitate the achievement of this new
dimension of personal freedom, the TF-X™ will be
priced as low as possible while still allowing Terrafugia
to grow to support our customers. The final pricing will
not be set until we are much closer to delivery. The
biggest price driver is the cost of production. It is likely
that TF-X™ will be more expensive than a “normal car”
due to the higher costs of the necessary light-weight
materials, but with investment in automotive scale
production, early studies indicate that it is possible that
the final price point could be on-par with high-end luxury
cars of today. As demand increases, new materials and
manufacturing processes will surely be developed and
the price may come down further in the distant future.
Vision of TF-X™ Technical Operations:
The TF-X™ is a fixed wing street-legal aircraft with
electric ground drive and electric power assist on takeoff
and landing.
The TF-X™will be capable of “auto-landing” at approved
landing sites within approved weather limits.
Prior to departure, the operator will select a primary target
landing zone and backup landing zones. If the TF-X™
calculates insufficient energy on board to conduct last
minute aborts at the first two sites and safely navigate
to and land at the third within a 30 minute reserve, or if
the forecast weather in any of the three landing zones
would be outside the allowable limits, or if any of the
selected landing zones are in temporarily restricted
airspace (TFRs), departure will not be allowed until
appropriate landing zones are selected.
Aborting the third landing at the end of an extended
flight would result in the automatic declaration of an
emergency and a horizontal (airplane-like) landing at
the nearest airport.
Normal TF-X™ operations will be conducted only in
non-tower controlled airspace (Class E and G) and on
the ground. Operators who wish to operate in tower
controlled airspace (Class B, C, or D) will be able to get
additional training.
Licensed TF-X™ operators will be allowed to apply to
add new landing zones to an approved landing zone
database.
The TF-X™ will advise the operator if they are
approaching restricted or tower-controlled airspace, or
unnecessarily increasing the risk to human life (as could
happen through carelessness, bad intentions, or if the
operator becomes incapacitated). If the operator does
not take the appropriate corrective action, the TF-X™
vehicle will automatically notify authorities by “declaring
an emergency” on behalf of the operator.
(http://www.terrafugia.com/)