The future has arrived. The very first flying car is a fact. The Slovak company Klein Vision designed the AirCar and it can now officially take to the air. The flying car has passed all tests and is now one step closer to consumer use. Text: Noa Verseveldt
Online editor: Patrick Stoffer
De Aircare completed 70 hours of test flights. Those 70 hours of test flights also included 200 test landings and descents, making it compliant with EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) requirements. The vehicle can fly at an altitude of up to 54.864 kilometers and in June the AirCar flew between Nitra airport and capital Bratislava in Slovakia.
The AirCar has a 1,6 liter BMW engine with 140 hp and can change from car to plane in about three minutes. The vehicle 'flies' on petrol, which you can simply buy at the local petrol station. A future version of the AirCar will likely have a 300 hp engine that can fly 965 miles in one trip at a speed of about 300 mph. The AirCar consists of advanced technologies such as retractable wings and folding tail surfaces. The latter helps the vehicle remain stable.
If you want to 'drive' the flying car, you must have a flying diploma. Klein Vision hopes that the AirCar will be commercially available within twelve months. However, this is not the first multifunctional vehicle. The Dutch PAL-V Liberty, a seaplane that can also take to the road, was also approved by the EASA. However, they still have to meet the latest safety requirements. It is thought that the AirCar could become the new helicopter. The company expects to introduce a hybrid or electric version in the near future, which can help achieve sustainability goals.
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