Anna Mracek Dietrich: A plane you can drive

翻译人员: Chunxiang Qian 校对人员: Guo Tang

What is it about flying cars?

为什么飞行汽车让我们痴迷？

We've wanted to do this for about a hundred years.

一百年前我们就开始想建造它

And there are historic attempts

回望历史有不少尝试

that have had some level of technical success.

技术上有了一定进展

But we haven't yet gotten to the point

但今天我们仍然没能坐上飞行汽车

where on your way here this morning

（如果成功的话）各位早上来的路上

you see something that really, truly seamlessly integrates

就能够感受到它会将

the two-dimensional world that we're comfortable in

我们熟悉的二维世界

with the three-dimensional sky above us --

和头顶的三维天空天衣无缝地融为一体－

that, I don't know about you, but I really enjoy spending time in.

不知道各位怎么想，但我真的是乐在其中

We looked at the historical attempts that had been out there

我们回顾了以往的尝试

and realized that, despite the fact

发现尽管事实上

that we have a lot of modern innovations

今天我们有许多的

to draw on today

现代化创新

that weren't available previously --

在以前是没有的－

we have modern composite materials,

我们有现代复合材料，

we have aircraft engines that get good fuel economy

有无可比拟的省油

and have better power-to-rate ratios than have ever been available,

且超大输出功率的飞机引擎

we have glass cockpit avionics

我们有玻璃的座舱电子设备

that bring the information you need to fly

提供飞行信息

directly to you in the cockpit --

坐在驾驶舱就可以一揽全局－

but without fundamentally addressing the problem from a different perspective,

但不从其它视角来探索根本性问题的话

we realized that we were going to be getting

我们得到的结果

the same result that people had been getting

与近一百年来这些人的结果

for the last hundred years,

将没什么两样

which isn't where we want to be right now.

我们可不想这样

So instead of trying to make a car that can fly,

于是我们觉得与其要汽车上天

we decided to try to make a plane that could drive.

不如让飞机下地

And the result is the Terrafugia Transition.

这就是Terrafugia陆空两用飞车

It's a two-seat, single-engine airplane

它是一个两座、单引擎飞机

that works just like any other small airplane.

就像其他小型飞机一样

You take off and land at a local airport.

在机场起降

Then once you're on the ground,

一旦着陆后

you fold up the wings, drive it home,

就可以把机翅叠起来 开回家

park it in your garage.

停在车库里

And it works.

它非常好使！

After two years of an innovative design and construction process,

经过两年的研发与制作

the proof of concept made its public debut

终于在2008年

in 2008.

面世了

Now like with anything

就像所有

that's really different from the status quo,

横空出世的东西一样

it didn't always go so well testing that aircraft.

测试并不是一路顺风

And we discovered that it's a very good thing

但是这也不完全是坏事

that, when you go home with something that's been broken,

当你一直搞不定一个问题的时候

you've actually learned a lot more

你会学到很多

than when you managed to tick off all of your test objectives

比起一次就成功的

the first time through.

会学会很多

Still, we very much wanted to see

尽管如此

the aircraft that we'd all helped build

我们一直期待

in the air, off the ground,

它能按计划

like it was supposed to be.

早日升空

And on our third high-speed testing deployment

第三次高速试飞

on a bitter cold morning in upstate New York,

是一个寒风刺骨的早晨在纽约州北部

we got to do that for the first time.

那一次没有办法

The picture behind me was snapped by the copilot in our chase aircraft

我身后的照片是僚机上的副驾驶捕捉到的镜头

just moments after the wheels got off the ground for the first time.

就是飞机腾空而起后的瞬间

And we were all very flattered to see that image

看到那一幕我们都无比兴奋

become a symbol of accomplishing something

这象征着成就了一项

that people had thought was impossible

世人以为不可能完成的

really the world over.

任务

The flight testing that followed that

后续的测试

was as basic and low-risk as we could make it,

较之简单而安全

but it still accomplished what we needed to

但要把项目向前推进

to take the program to the next step

就必须完成这些

and to gain the credibility that we needed

才能获得来自最终我们的市场－飞行界

within our eventual market, the general aviation community,

和监管机构－特别是负责美国境内的

and with the regulators

使用和设计

that govern the use of design of aircraft, particularly in the States.

飞行器的机构的信任

The FAA, about a year ago,

大约一年前 美国联邦航空总署

gave us an exemption for the Transition

给了我们一个特许证

to allow us to have an additional 110 lbs.

允许我们的飞车超重110磅

within the light sport aircraft category.

仍可列在轻航机的种类下

Now that doesn't sound like a lot, but it's very important,

这听起来没什么 但其实很重要

because being able to deliver the Transition as a light sport aircraft

因为只要它符合轻航机的规定

makes it simpler for us to certify it,

发放执照就容易些

but it also makes it much easier

也更加方便学员

for you to learn how to fly it.

掌握驾驶技术

A sport pilot can be certificated

轻航机的驾驶执照

in as little as 20 hours of flight time.

只需要20小时的飞行时数

And at 110 lbs.,

而额外的110磅

that's very important for solving the other side of the equation --

对我们解决另一个问题非常重要－

driving.

驾驶

It turns out that driving,

我们发现驾驶的

with its associated design implementation and regulatory hurdles,

设计细则和规定

is actually a harder problem to solve than flying.

比飞行还复杂

For those of us that spend most of our lives on the ground,

这对我们一辈子生活在地上的人

this may be counter-intuitive,

是有点异想天开，

but driving has potholes, cobblestones,

开车会碰上坑洞，石子

pedestrians, other drivers

行人，其它车辆

and a rather long and detailed list

还有一大堆

of federal motor vehicle safety standards to contend with.

政府对机动车辆安全的规定要遵守

Fortunately, necessity remains the mother of invention,

所幸 需求是发明之母

and a lot of the design work

许多应用在

that we're the most proud of with the aircraft

飞机上的高明设计

came out of solving the unique problems

正好能够解决

of operating it on the ground --

陆地行驶的特定问题－

everything from a continuously-variable transmission

数不胜数的例子 比如无段自动变速器

and liquid-based cooling system

液态冷却系统

that allows us to use an aircraft engine

能让飞机引擎在时走时停的路上

in stop-and-go traffic,

应付自如

to a custom-designed gearbox

还有专用定制变速箱

that powers either the propeller when you're flying or the wheels on the ground,

对飞行所用的螺旋桨和驾驶所用的车轮能双管齐下

to the automated wing-folding mechanism that we'll see in a moment,

还有稍后能看到的折叠式机翼

to crash safety features.

和安全设计

We have a carbon fiber safety cage

它有一个碳纤维安全机舱

that protects the occupants

能确保乘客安全

for less than 10 percent of the weight of a traditional steel chassis in a car.

而重量比传统钢材汽车要轻百分之十

Now this also, as good as it is, wasn't quite enough.

这听上去不简单了 不过还不够好

The regulations for vehicles on the road

陆地交通的相关规定

weren't written with an airplane in mind.

从来没涉及到飞机上去

So we did need a little bit of support

所以我们需要

from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

美国国家公路交通安全管理局的协助

Now you may have seen in the news recently,

最近的新闻也许能看到

they came through with us at the end of last month

大概是上个月底

with a few special exemptions

我们获得了几项豁免

that will allow the Transition to be sold

陆空两用飞车可以在

in the same category as SUVs and light trucks.

运动休旅车和小型货车的分类下上市销售

As a multi-purpose passenger vehicle,

因为是多功能客运工具

it is now officially "designed for occasional off-road use."

因此号称是“非常规越野用途的设计”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Now let's see it in action.

现在让我们来看看实况

You can see there the wings folded up just along the side of the plane.

它的机翼折起收在机身两侧

You're not powering the propeller, you're powering the wheels.

引擎推动的不是螺旋桨而是车轮

And it is under seven feet tall,

不到七尺高

so it will fit in a standard construction garage.

这样就能开进标准车库

And that's the automated wing-folding mechanism.

这是机翼自动收展装置

That's real time.

这是实时的

You just push a few buttons in the cockpit, and the wings come out.

只要按下驾驶员座舱边的几个按钮 机翼就展开来

Once they're fully deployed,

全部展开后

there's a mechanical lock that goes into place,

有一个机械锁定装置能将其固定

again, from inside the cockpit.

这是在驾驶舱内操作的

And they're now fully capable of handling

然后就可以象其它飞机一样

any of the loads you would see in flight --

进行操作了－

just like putting down your convertible top.

就像把敞篷车车顶放下来一样

And you're all thinking what your neighbors would think of seeing that.

要是你们邻居看了不知道是什么反应呢

(Video) Test Pilot: Until the vehicle flies,

（视频）试飞员：在没真正飞起来之前

75 percent of your risk is that first flight.

首次试飞有75％的风险

Radio: It actually flew. Yes.

无线电1：飞起来了！耶！

Radio 2: That was gorgeous.

无线电2：太棒了！

Radio: What did you think of that?

无线电：看起来怎么样？

That was beautiful from up here, I tell you.

这里俯瞰太美了，我打包票。

AMD: See, we're all exceedingly excited about that little bunny hop.

我们都为这个“超级跳”而兴奋得难以自已

And our test pilot gave us

而我们的试飞员

the best feedback you can get from a test pilot after a first flight,

给出了前所未有的对试飞的评价

which was that it was "remarkably unremarkable."

他说是“非同寻常地毫无意外”

He would go onto tell us

他又告诉我们

that the Transition had been the easiest airplane to land

这个陆空两用飞车是他30年试飞生涯里

that he'd flown in his entire 30-year career as a test pilot.

降落操作最容易的机种

So despite making something

我们不仅仅想创造

that is seemingly revolutionary,

革命性的产品

we really focused on doing

更想尽可能得创造

as little new as possible.

先进创新的东西

We leverage a lot of technology from the state-of-the-art in general aviation

我们采用了大量的最尖端前沿的航空

and from automotive racing.

和汽车竞技技术

When we do have to do something truly out-of-the-box,

而真正突破的是

we use an incremental design, build, test, redesign cycle

我们使用了递增式概念，设计，建造，测试，再设计的循环方法

that lets us reduce risk in baby steps.

得以在起步就减少了风险

Now since we started Terrafugia about 6 years ago,

我们是从六年前开始Terrafugia的设计

we've had a lot of those baby steps.

就是这样一步一个脚印走来

We've gone from being three of us

我们三个人

working in the basement at MIT while we were still in graduate school

从还是研究生的时候就在麻省理工的地下室里钻研

to about two-dozen of us

到现在有二十多人

working in an initial production facility outside of Boston.

在波士顿郊区的一个工厂里进行开发

We've had to overcome challenges

我们必须得克服各种挑战

like keeping the weight below the light sport limit that I talked about,

比如我提到的轻航机的重量限制

figuring out how to politely respond

还有怎样不失礼貌地回答

when a regulator tells you,

监管单位的官员的问题

"But that won't fit through a toll booth with the wings extended --

“可是要是机翼不收起来就过不来收费站啊”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

to all of the other associated durability and engineering issues

还有许多许多刚才提及的耐用性和

that we talked about on the ground.

地面机械工程的问题

Still, if everything goes to our satisfaction

只要目前我们正在做的

with the testing and construction

两个生产机型的

of the two production prototypes

测试和制造都

that we're working on right now,

一切顺利的话

those first deliveries

头一批

to the, about a hundred, people who have reserved an airplane at this point

到目前为止大约一百台的订单

should begin at the end of next year.

明年年底就能出货了

The Transition will cost in line with other small airplanes.

这种陆空两用飞车和其它轻航机价格相差无已

And I'm certainly not out to replace your Chevy,

当然我不是说要你换掉家里雪弗莱

but I do think that the Transition should be your next airplane.

不过我认为它应该是你下一架飞机

Here's why.

原因就是

While nearly all of the commercial air travel in the world

目前全球的商用航线

goes through a relatively small number of large hub airports,

都集中在少数几个大型航空港

there is a huge underutilized resource out there.

很多资源没有被好好利用

There are thousands of local airstrips

上千条地区性飞机跑道

that don't see nearly as many aircraft operations a day as they could.

使用率非常低

On average, there's one within 20 to 30 miles

在美国 平均方圆二十到三十公里

of wherever you are in the United States.

就有一个

The Transition gives you

这个陆空两用飞车

a safer, more convenient and more fun way

能为你提供一个安全便捷和有趣的

of using this resource.

途径来利用这些资源

For those of you who aren't yet pilots,

对于还不懂飞行的人来说

there's four main reasons why those of us who are

无非是四个原因让他们不能

don't fly as much as we'd like to:

想飞就飞：

the weather, primarily,

首先是天气

cost, long door-to-door travel time

费用，及门旅运时间长

and mobility at your destination.

还有达到目的地后交通问题

Now, bad weather comes in,

那么现在碰上坏天气

just land, fold up the wings, drive home.

降落 收起机翼直接开回家

Doesn't matter if it rains a little, you have a windshield wiper.

下点雨也不是问题，反正有雨刷

Instead of paying to keep your airplane in a hanger,

也不同花钱租停机坪

park it in your garage.

停在自己车库就是

And the unleaded automotive fuel that we use

我们用的油就是一般的无铅汽油

is both cheaper and better for the environment

比起航空用油

than traditional avgas.

便宜又环保

Door-to-door travel time is reduced,

及门旅运时间也减少了

because now, instead of lugging bags, finding a parking space,

因为不用装行李，找停泊位

taking off your shoes or pulling your airplane out of the hanger,

脱鞋检查，把飞机从停机坪开出来

you're now just spending that time getting to where you want to go.

那么一大阵功夫你就能开到目的地了

And mobility to your destination is clearly solved.

而目的地交通问题也解决了

Just fold up the wings and keep going.

只要收起机翼继续开就好了

The Transition simultaneously expands our horizons

这个陆空两用飞车拓展了我们的视野

while making the world a smaller, more accessible place.

让世界更小更触手可及

It also continues to be a fabulous adventure.

也让生活充满探险

I hope you'll each take a moment

希望你们每个人利用一点时间

to think about how you could use something like this

想一下你能怎样利用它

to give yourself more access to your own world,

让你自己拥抱更广阔的世界

and to make your own travel more convenient and more fun.

让每一次旅行都便捷而愉快

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share it with you.

感谢大家让我能由此机会与你分享！

(Applause)

（掌声）