A dual-mode AirCar aircraft recently passed safety tests in Slovakia and officially obtained flight certification. No price details of this "futuristic vehicle" have been revealed, but it will be seen in the air and on the road at the latest next year.
AirCar Prototype 1 is driving on the highway.
The AirCar prototype 1, which has a 160-horsepower fixed-propeller engine, is reportedly the brainchild of Professor Ktefan Klein and developed by Slovakia's KleinVision. Professor Klein was not only the inventor of the flying car, but also the leader of the development team and a test pilot.
AirCar Prototype 1 takes off.
The AirCar aircraft underwent 70 hours of rigorous flight testing according to the standards of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and after completing more than 200 take-offs and landings, it was officially certified to fly, and the Slovak Transport Authority has awarded the airworthiness certificate to the aircraft.
The tests included a full range of flight and performance maneuvering, and the aircraft "exhibited amazing static and dynamic stability in aircraft mode." AirCar's take-off and landing procedures can be implemented even when the pilot does not need to touch the flight controller.
The AirCar aircraft underwent 70 hours of rigorous flight testing according to the standards of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and officially obtained flight certification after completing more than 200 take-offs and landings.
After landing, the vehicle then turned into a sports car in less than three minutes before being driven to the centre of Bratislava.
Professor Klein said the certification opened the door for the mass production of very efficient flying cars and the new production model was expected to be certified within 12 months.
René Molnár, director general of the Slovak Transport Agency, said AirCar combined top-level innovation with safety measures that comply with European Safety Agency standards to define a new category of sports cars and reliable aircraft.
KleinVision released a stunning video last June showing the AirCar flying machine driving on the runway before taking off. It can then be seen landing, folding its wings, driving along the highway before reaching the center of the Slovak capital.
KleinVision said the 35-minute flight from Nitra to Bratislava was a key development milestone that brought it closer to production.
The developers say AirCar will be perfect for leisure and road trips, or as a commercial taxi service.
Any pilot can get the stability and control of the AirCar without the need for professional training.
The AirCar is reportedly equipped with a BMW engine that uses ordinary gasoline pump fuel and can carry two people. The AirCar's wings can be deployed, with a single propeller at the tail. When the vehicle is on the road, the wings fold up, and it takes up space for a normal parking space.
Dr. Branko Sarh, a former Boeing expert, commented last year that the automatic transition from road vehicles to air vehicles and vice versa, with wings and tails unfurled/retracted, is the result not only of pioneering enthusiasm, innovation and courage, but also of excellent engineering and expertise.
KleinVision says it's designed to give any pilot access to airCar stability and control without the need for professional training.
KleinVision plans to equip the aircraft with a more powerful engine and hopes to be ready for sale in the next 12 months.
KleinVision plans to equip the aircraft with a more powerful engine when all legally required flight tests are completed and hopes to be ready for sale in the next 12 months.
The AirCar prototype 2, a pre-production model, will be equipped with a 300 hp engine with an estimated cruising speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) and a range of 1,000 km (621 mph).
Text/Nandu reporter Chen Lin