Transition Roadable Aircraft by KiBiSi for Terrafugia
Danish industrial designers KiBiSi have collaborated on the redesign of a two-seater aircraft that converts into a vehicle that can be driven on normal roads.
The Transition Roadable Aircraft was launched this week by American aviation company Terrafugia.
KiBiSi was formed last year by designer Lars Holme Larsen of Kilo Design, architect Bjarke Ingels of BIG and brand consultant Jens Martin Skibsted of Skibsted Ideation. See our story about the launch of KiBiSi. See all our stories about transport design.
Transition Roadable Aircraft features wings that fold away, allowing the plane to be driven like a small truck.
Here's some info from KiBiSi:
The Terrafugia single engine two-seater aircraft packs a light "transformer" truck. The 2nd gen Terrafugia Transition is the result of a transatlantic collaboration between industrial designers, including KiBiSi, mechanical engineers, aerodynamic engineers and a dedicated Terrafugia nerd squad with an unequaled childhood dream of flying cars.
The FAA approved vehicle merges the worlds and requirements of cars, trucks and planes, combining cutting edge aerodynamics, mechanics and manufacturing skills.
The overall design approach and thought mode has been holistic - making an unfamiliar object appear as a wholesome whole. Step by step it has been built on one new coherent DNA set, aligning very different sets of requirements and, to one another, outlandish elements and characteristics from each their transportation paradigm.