飞行汽车在2017年即将上市

　　If Back to the Future 2 holds your standards for technology there are a lot of things we should have by now -- one of them being flying cars. But while modified DeLoreans haven’t dotted the skies, Slovakia-based AeroMobil says we’ll be seeing flying cars on the markets soon as 2017.

　　如果“回到未来2”让你对科技有了新的标准,那么我们现在应该有很多东西——其中之一就是,飞行汽车。然而改良后的罗德宁还未形成燎原之势,斯洛伐克的AeroMobil公司就已声明,飞行汽车在2017年即将上市！

　　Speaking at SXSW Interactive 2015, AeroMobil co-founder and CEO Juraj Vaculik talked about his company’s vision for a future where flying cars are just as ubiquitous as planes, trains, and standard automobiles.

　　在2015年西南偏南交流大会上的讲话中,AeroMobil的联合创始人兼总裁尤拉伊·瓦库利克谈论到他们公司对飞行汽车未来的展望时说,它们将会像飞机、火车及标准汽车一样普遍存在。

　　The company has already unveiled a prototype for its "Flying Roadster," the AeroMobil 3.0. The two-seater functions as both a car and personal airplane, measuring at about 328 x 236 inches in airplane mode and 88 x 236 inches in car mode with its wings collapsed -- thin enough but too long to qualify as a compact car in the US.

　　该公司已经发布了飞行跑车AeroMobil 3.0的原型。这辆双开门跑车既可以当汽车开又可以变身为私人飞机,其大小尺寸,在飞机模式时仅为328 x 236英寸,收起双翼变为汽车模式时仅为88 x 236英寸,虽宽度合适但长度有余,所以在美国不能称之为小型汽车。

　　The steel framework, carbon coating construction has a Rotax 912 engine under the hood with a top speed of 124 mph when flying and 99 mph on the road -- though Vaculik said the final version may be faster. The vehicle has a 81 mph takeoff speed.

　　这款车内部是钢架结构,外部是碳涂层,配置Rotax 912航空引擎,飞行时最高时速可达124英里,路面行驶最高时速可达99英里,但是瓦库利克说它的最终版本速度将会更快。该车的起飞速度可达81英里/时。

　　Vaculik also emphasized the AeroMobil 3.0’s need for only 650 ft for takeoff and 160 ft to land -- meaning the vehicle can land in a field of grass or onto existing highways without the need for new or special airports.

　　瓦库利克同时强调AeroMobil 3.0仅需要650次的起飞测试和160次的降落测试,意味着这部车可以降落草地、现有的高速公路上,无需新的或特殊的机场。

　　He didn’t comment on the effect that having planes landing on the highways might have on rush-hour traffic but did say that AeroMobil is initially targeting medium-distance travel. As a plane the AeroMobil 3.0 has a reported range of 435 miles and 545 miles on the road.

　　他没有谈到让飞机降落到高速公路上会对上下班高峰期产生影响,但是他说AeroMobil的最初定位是中等距离的行程。据报道,AeroMobil 3.0在天空可飞行435英里,在地面可行驶545英里。

　　It won’t take you cross country but it is plenty for a trip from say, LA to Vegas. Vaculik said the vehicle also runs on regular gasoline so there will be no need to find a special refueling spot.

　　它也许不能带你横穿整个国家,但是带着你从洛杉矶到维加斯却是绰绰有余。瓦库利克说,这部车加普通汽油也可正常行驶,所以不存在到处跑着找特殊燃料站点的问题。

　　While the Flying Roadster is still in development -- the working prototype is currently undergoing recommends real flight testing -- Vaculik was confident his company could hit its 2017 mark.

　　虽然飞行汽车还处在发展阶段,但样机模型目前已经在进行真实的飞行测试——瓦库利克非常自信他们公司可以达成2017年的目标。

　　What’s more, the company isn’t just stopping at flying cars -- it wants them to be self-driving/self-flying someday, as well. Vaculik said this would only be the logical next step.

　　而且,该公司不会止步于飞行汽车,还要实现无人驾驶/飞行。瓦库利克说这是很合乎逻辑的下一步。

　　He did not confirm if his company is currently developing such a product but said such a vehicle could take advantage of autonomous car and plane technology already available, including vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

　　他没有证实目前他们公司是否在研发这款产品,但是他说,这款利用自动驾驶汽车、飞机技术和车辆对车辆的通讯技术的汽车,是可实现的。

　　AeroMobil recommends a private pilot license for its Flying Roadster but said a sport pilot license should be sufficient for early models. Right now the prototype qualifies as a Light Sports Aircraft under US regulations and as a Ultra Light aircraft in the EU.

　　AeroMobil公司建议为他们的飞行汽车推出私人飞行员执照,但是据说飞行员执照对初期型号来说是足够的。目前这辆飞行汽车原型在美国被看作轻型飞机,在欧盟被看作是超轻型飞机。

　　But those excited at the possibility of flying your car to Thanksgiving dinner in two years should start saving now. The company is initially targeting the Flying Roadster at elite consumers and expects the vehicle to retail in the several hundred thousand dollar range commiserate with high-end sports car and sport aircraft prices.

　　但是那些幻想在两年之内,驾驶着飞行汽车直接飞到感恩节餐桌旁的小伙伴们,该醒醒了。该公司的飞行汽车最初定位是精英消费者,为了向高端跑车和轻型飞机表示同情,预计零售价也就在数十万美元之内吧。