A local entrepreneur, Don Shaw – a Torrance, California resident, was featured in several news outlets with his latest invention: a flying scooter – really – check it out.
The Ultralight Flying Scooter (TUFS) is the world’s first flying and driving motor scooter! The most amazing aspect of TUFS is its combination of a 2006 Honda Ruckus scooter with the most popular, top of the line and up-to-date ultralight paraglider flight equipment. It encompasses the long time dream of a flying and driving machine. This uniquely handcrafted flight kit is revolutionary to the powered paragliding world, pushing the simple joy of flying to the next extreme.
Because TUFS is considered an Ultralight Aircraft in the USA under FAR Part 103 (http://www.ulflyingmag.com/regs.html), a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (http://www.faa.gov) pilot’s license is not required to operate this single-seat aircraft. TUFS is also Department of Transportation (DOT) (http://www.dot.gov/) approved. This permits the scooter to be driven on highways and streets when the vehicle is configured to road/ground-mode.
The 42 m2 tandem-rated paraglider wing that gives TUFS its flight capability has a comfortable lift capacity of 508 pounds during flight. This weight includes the weight of the pilot, fuel and oil, extra carry-on payload, scooter, and TUFS flight kit. The maximum pilot weight should be under 210 pounds.