The Flying Palace of Prince Waleed Bin Talal

Al-Waleed Spends $176 Million to Outfit His A380

After dropping close to $320 million on his new Airbus A380 jet, Prince Al-Waleed of Saudi Arabia is spending another $176 million on ultra-lavish modifications, including a $60 million gold leaf paintjob. An unnamed German company is customizing the interior of the plane to include:

• A lounge to seat a traveling entourage of 25 trusted aides;
• A marble-paneled dining room with seating for 14;
• A bar with curtains to mimic tents of the Arabian Desert;
• A fiber-optic mosaic that will depict a shifting desert scene;
• A movie theatre with plush leather seats the color of sand dunes;
• A series of bedrooms linked to stewardesses by intercom;
• A gym with Nautilus equipment and running machines; and
• A large silk bed designed to resemble a Bedouin tent that will be the centerpiece of the plane’s interior.

Reports speak of the decor as being “Lawrence of Arabia meets Star Wars.” Al-Waleed’s A380 will be completed in two years, and in the meantime he will cruise in his Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.

The Flying Car is Here!

In the Middle East, Gulf area to be specific, you can find thousands of Ferrari’s and Bentley’s but not one of them can fly! This flying car which costs around $200,000, the price of one of these fancy cars, is ready to take off in 2011 as there are 70 customers that paid a down payment to get their hands on one of these toys.

The Terrafugia is a small airplane that can transform from a car driving 65 miles an hour to a winged aircraft in a mere 30 seconds. It seems like we are on the verge of exploring the lives of The Jetsons and Back to the Future! The website is calling it “The Transition.” Below are the specifications listed on their website.

The Transition^®

Every pilot faces uncertain weather, rising costs, and ground transportation hassles on each end of the flight. The Transition® combines the unique convenience of being able to fold its wings with the ability to drive on any surface road in a modern personal airplane platform. Stowing the wings for road use and deploying them for flight at the airport is activated from inside the cockpit. This unique functionality addresses head-on the issues faced by today’s Private and Sport Pilots.

Terrafugia’s award-winning MIT-trained engineers have been advancing the state-of-the-art in personal aircraft since 2006. Now you can streamline your flying experience with the revolutionary integration of personal land and air travel made possible by the Transition® Roadable Aircraft.

Performance

Cruise: 100 kts (115 mph) Rotate: 70 kts (80 mph) Stall: 45 kts (51 mph) Range: 400nm (460 mi) Takeoff over 50′ obstacle: 1700′

Fuel burn: 5 gph Fuel tank: 20 gallons Useful Load: 430 lbs On road: 30 mpg, highway speeds Light Sport Aircraft (LSA)

Convenience
Front wheel drive on the ground
Automotive-style entry and exit
Two place, side by side
Automated electromechanical folding wing
No trailer or hangar needed
Cargo area holds skis, fishing poles or golf clubs

Safety
Drive in case of inclement weather
Proven 100 hp Rotax 912S engine
Full vehicle parachute available
Modern glass avionics
Automotive crash safety features

Dimensions

Folded: 6’ 9” tall 80” wide 18’ 9” long

Airplane: 6’ 3” tall 19’ 2” long Wingspan: 27’ 6”

Cockpit: 51” at the shoulder

Training
Become a Sport Pilot in as little as 20 hours of flight time in a Transition®-specific course. For existing pilots, get comfortable quickly with the familiarization training included with every Transition® delivery.