Since the invention of the automobile and airplanes people have predicted that the future would include flying cars. The Airphibian is one man¹s attempt to create just that; an airplane that transforms into a car. Inventor Robert Fulton invented the Airphibian to solve his own problem; landing at a remote airport and being stranded without a car. Fulton believed that other pilots, and potential pilots, experienced this same problem, and his Airphibian would offer the answer. So from 1945 to 1952, without any training or experience designing aircraft, Fulton conceived, designed, built, tested and logged more than 100,000 miles in his dream machine: the Airphibian. The first "roadable" airplane certified by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (later known as the FAA). To promote the ease and simplicity of the Airphibian, Fulton flew throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe. The flights were for both testing and to showcase the aircraft at air shows and other events. The unique Airphibian attracted crowds wherever it went, and became a nationwide media sensation. Unfortunately, financial problems and a limited market did not allow Fulton to raise the funds to mass-produce his Airphibian. While Fulton's Airphibian failed to be mass produced, with only 11 built, it still stands as the first certified flying car, and has gone on to inspire many other flying cars that have been produced in the past few decades. The Crawford Museum¹s Airphibian has been donated by the Fulton family, and it is currently undergoing restoration by the Fultons.
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