Transport of the future: a sports car that turns into a plane received a certificate for use in Europe

A car-airplane hybrid that can transform from a sports car to a plane in less than three minutes is now certified to fly in Slovakia, reports INSIDER.

Photo: Shutterstock

The AirCar, developed by Klein Vision, received its airworthiness certificate from the Slovak Transport Authority in January.

The certification was obtained after 75 hours of test flights during which more than 220 takeoffs and landings were made.

Since 2017, a team of eight people have been working on the prototype, according to Klein Vision co-founder Anton Zajak, who together have accumulated about 100 hours.

AirCar made its first long-distance flight last June from Nitra International Airport, Slovakia to Bratislava International Airport, Slovakia. In total, the flight took 35 minutes.

After the arrival of the AirCar, it turned into a sports car, and Zajak, together with the inventor of the AirCar, Professor Stefan Klein, drove to the center of Bratislava.

AirCar is not limited to airfields. It can take off and land anywhere, as long as the property owner gives permission, Zajak said.

The current model can travel up to 600 km at a speed of 225 km per hour. According to Zajak, the new production model will have a range of around 1000 km.

AirCar is equipped with a 1,6-liter BMW engine and runs on fuel that is sold at any gas station.

The dual-mode vehicle is also equipped with a ballistic parachute in case of an emergency or engine failure.

Models weigh 1100 kg and can accommodate two people. Zajak said the company plans to introduce a three-seat model as well as an amphibious version.

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Because the dual-mode car is a full-fledged aircraft, anyone flying it will need a pilot's license.

According to Zajak, the certification is a "huge milestone" not only in the development of a flying car that meets the requirements of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), but also in preparation for the mass production of cars with two modes.

The AirCar is EASA compliant, which means it can fly in any country in the European Union with permission from local authorities. Zajak said the company is also currently applying for a permit from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“We plan to introduce AirCar taxi service,” Zajak said, adding that the company hopes to encourage about 5% of private owners of 220 small planes in the US to switch to AirCar.

Depending on factors such as avionics — the electronic flight control systems installed on the aircraft — buying an AirCar will cost anywhere from $500 to $000 million.

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Zajak said the company has already begun taking orders from "select" customers and expects deliveries to begin in late 2023.

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