Meet the TriFan 600.
Made by XTI Aircraft, the personal jet could change the way people travel with its ability to take off and land vertically.
The jet is equipped with three ducted fans that allow it to lift off and land vertically. That means you could stash this plane on a helipad near your house since it doesn’t need a runway.
Once it’s in the air, the jet’s ducted fans rotate forward so it can cruise just like any other plane. It has a range of roughly 1,800 miles. (That range can take you all the way from Texas to New York!)
“This is an aircraft that has the speed, range, and comfort of a business jet, and takes off and lands like a helicopter,” David Brody, founder and chairman of XTI Aircraft, told Business Insider.
It only takes 11 minutes for the plane to reach its maximum altitude of 35,000 feet. Once it’s airborne, it can cruise at a top speed of 390 mph.
And it has a comfy interior that fits one pilot and five passengers. There’s also plenty of cabin space for luggage.
“The whole idea here is to save whoever uses this aircraft the hundreds of hours a year that they would otherwise spend traveling to airports on the ground,” Brody said. “We’re talking about reducing total trip time.”
Unfortunately, the TriFan 600 isn’t a reality just yet. The first prototype will fly in two years, with XTI aiming to release its production model five years after that test flight. That means you’ll have to wait at least seven years before you can try the TriFan 600.
Those interested will be able to buy it for around $10 million to $12 million.
XTI isn’t the only company aiming to get a vertical-takeoff personal jet on the market. Terrafugia is planning to release its vertical take-off jet, the TF-X, by 2025. It also has the bonus of being able to fly and land itself.
Terrafugia
e-Volo
German company e-Volo is planning to roll out the production version of its vertical-takeoff multicopter in two years. It may eventually be used for an air-taxi service. Like the TF-X, it can fly autonomously.
Via Business Insider
