Slovakia's Flying Car Certified to Fly
Slovakia's Klein Vision Air Car
Dawn of a New Type of Travel
There's a big breakthrough for the global flying car industry. Slovakia based Klein Vision's AirCar has been awarded a certificate of airworthiness allowing it to fly. The flying car has completed 70 hours of rigorous flight tests including more than 200 take-offs and landings. It's a landmark event heralding the dawn of a new mode of travel. The certificate was awarded by the Slovak Transport Authority. A pilot's license is required to fly the vehicle.
Tech Specs
With the press of a button, AirCar can transform from a car to a plane in 2 minutes and 15 seconds. It's powered by a 140 hp,1.6-liter, 4-cylinder BMW combustion engine. The engine powers the fixed propeller when flying and the wheels when driving on the road. To drive, the vehicle automatically folds the wings, raises them up and then stores them in the composite body of the vehicle. It also pulls in the tail section. AirCar runs on gas from any gas station. It can soar to a maximum altitude of 18,000 feet. The current prototype is capable of road speeds up to 99.4 mph and air speeds of 112 mph.
Next G Engine
Klein Vision, founded by university professor and test pilot Dr. Stefan Klein, is in the process of testing an Adept Airmotive engine that would enable AirCar to reach speeds of 186 mph and increase the range to 620 miles. The company hopes to secure certification of that engine within a year.
Commercialization
Klein Vision defines AirCar as a new category of sports car and reliable aircraft. It carries a pilot and one passenger. They say that it "combines top innovations and safety measures in line with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards. Klein Vision hopes to take AirCar to market for buyers to purchase it within a year. It has successfully tested as a flying and driving car. For example, it completed a 35-minute flight from Nitra to the Slovakian capital of Bratislava and then drove into the center of town. CEO Dr. Stefan Klein hopes to fly it from London to Paris very soon.
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