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Plane Driven roadable aircraft hits the streets, oddly

Plane Driven PD-2
Plane Driven PD-2

Don't call it a flying car -- the Plane Driven PD-2 technically falls into a category of "roadable aircraft," vehicles designed mainly to fly but that can also take to the streets when weather rules out flying small aircraft. This test drive of the PD-2 shows that making an airplane a car may be far easier than vice versa.

Inventor Trey Johnson designed the Plane Driven kit as a modification for the Glasair Sportsman with a 100-hp Yamaha engine and deployable rear wheel. While it can hit 140 mph in the air, the PD-2's tops out around 85 mph on the ground, where it's registered in Washington state as a motorcycle. Seeing the PD-2 move through traffic -- and use the turn signals otherwise hidden on the wings when in flight. It can't be the most comfortable ride; I don't know of a plane that offers air conditioning or a radio channel that plays more than just air traffic control. But it does cover all the bases.