- 02 Mar 2020 12:20 PM
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Terrafugia Flies Subscale TF-2A
In mid-December 2019, Terrafugia, a subsidiary of Geely Technology Group, successfully conducted its first test flight of the TF-2A sub-scale demonstrator. After acquiring the US-based Terrafugia flying car company in 2017, Geely established a research and development team in China, beginning on the TF-2A design in 2019. The subscale TF-2A is all-electric and comprised mainly of composite materials. It has a wingspan of 14.8 ft (4.5 m), a maximum take-off weight of 132 lb (60 kg), and a cruising speed of about 62 mph (100 km/h).
Like the test model, the full-sale aircraft uses eight lift propellers and one cruise propeller. It is designed to carry a payload of 440 lb (200 kg) — two passengers plus luggage — a maximum range of 62 miles (100 km), a cruise speed of 112 mph (180 km/h). After the first successful test flight of the TF-2A subscale demonstrator, the Terrafugia team will continue to collect and analyze relevant data, optimize iterative product design, and plans to launch the TF-2A full-scale prototype in the next stage toward reaching certification.
Comments
Buck Crowley
The almost 200 VTOL have all demonstrated that the physics of a toy drone, introduced a few years ago, doesn't scale up. Through a number of aerodynamic mistakes, they managed to make an investment in a design that will never fly. We learned the hard way many years ago, and so have many other people. No one seems to be learning from the failure of others.
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