Flying car named AirCar officially certified by Klein Vision for flights in Slovakia

We’ve been promised flying cars for decades now, but our four-wheelers are still stuck in the ground. But one Slovak company is hoping to change all that soon. Klein Vision’s “AirCar” was recently issued an Airworthiness Certificate by the Slovak Transport Authority — meaning the airline has official authority to fly around its home country.

“AirCar certification opens the door to mass production of very efficient flying cars,” said Stefan Klein, AirCar inventor and lead developer and test pilot for the vehicle. in one Press Release. “It’s the final and official confirmation of our ability to change the midland journey forever.”

Mid-range flying vehicles have been in development for decades now, mostly in the form of eVTOLs (short for electric vertical take-off and landing). While the technology is mostly confined to the military’s research and development sector, many companies are still trying to develop commercial versions of eVTOLs that can function as air taxis, transporting people. tens or even hundreds of miles away on a single charge.

But AirCar is close to the flying car that sci-fi writers have long imagined. Developed since 2017, it is a hybrid between an automobile and an airplane. Literally – the front looks like a slim coupe, while the back has a retractable tail and looks like the tail of a small plane for two. It can be driven on the road on four wheels like a standard car, but opens its wings and takes to the air using a propeller at the back.

According to Klein Vision, the AirCar is capable of flying 600 miles in a single cruise, with a cruising speed of 186 mph and a maximum altitude of 18,000 feet. It runs on an internal combustion engine, which means it can be fueled at any conventional gas pump. (Not exactly a win for the environment, though.)

The company is working on developing and testing other versions of the AirCar (including a four-seat version and an amphibious version that can glide on water like a boat). But for now, it’s only the two-seat version that has been approved to fly, following its first intercity flight last June.

Klein Vision hopes to have an upgraded model approved to fly and be ready for commercial production in about a year. If all goes well, the Slovak could soon look up into the sky and see an AirCar circling around.