Flying Car Dreams

A proof-of-concept, road-ready aircraft’s successful test flight. Could this be the start of a new era? Not so fast: Terrafugia has a lot more to prove to make a splash in the long history of the pursuit of making a production-ready flying car. In light of the news, we looked back at some of our favorite flying vehicles.

This vehicle—which requires a Sport Pilot license to fly—takes 30 seconds to switch between flying and driving, making it a “roadable aircraft." Its wings fold up automatically and all parts, including the propeller, are stored on the vehicle when its takes to the road. The company claims this car was the first road-ready aircraft ever to take flight. While this might be technically true, the flight of Terrafugia's vehicle (which was a runway test flight—more of a hop than a full flight.) has a lot more to prove to make a big splash in the long history of the pursuit of a production-ready flying car. In light of this news, we look back at some of our favorite, quirkiest and most innovative flying cars ever made.