The Transition Roadable Aircraft Will Be Allowed To Operate At A MTOW Of 1,800 Pounds

The FAA has approved a Petition for Exemption filed in 2014 allowing a vehicle in the Transition street-legal airplane configuration to be certified as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) with a maximum takeoff weight of 1,800 pounds. This is a significant increase over the allowance received in 2010 which granted the Transition a 1,430 pound weight limit, the same as currently imposed on amphibious LSA. 

Terrafutia says the 1,800 pound weight is necessary to accommodate structures and systems directly related to the unique safety features of the vehicle. It allows the Transition to incorporate automotive occupant protection safety features, including a safety cage, energy absorbing crumple zones, and cabin features that are commonplace in today’s automobiles but unavailable in most General Aviation aircraft. 

In support of its petition, Terrafugia quantified the potential safety benefits of the Transition. An analysis of LSA airplane accidents indicated that flying a Transition instead of the accident airplane could have reduced the severity of injuries in the vast majority of accidents and could have more than halved the number of fatalities. In addition to its automotive safety features, the Transition’s ability to land and drive in bad weather could have helped to avoid nearly half of the accidents studied.

“The willingness of the FAA to consider safety-driven innovation in novel ways, as evidenced by both this Grant of Exemption and the Part 23 rulemaking that is currently underway, is critical to the advancement of the aviation industry," said Terrafugia CEO/CTO Carl Dietrich. "We look forward to continuing to work with the FAA to develop products that increase both the safety and utility of personal aviation.”

In addition to the increase in takeoff weight, a corresponding stall speed increase was also granted, to accommodate size constraints imposed by road operation.

Terrafugia said in a news release that it would like to thank the hundreds of commentators who supported its petition, including the Congressional delegation and key aviation industry groups.

(Source: Terrafugia news release. Images from file)

FMI: www.terrafugia.com, FAA decision