Flying Car certified to fly

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — The AirCar has been issued a Certificate of Airworthiness by the Slovak Transport Authority, following the completion of 70 hours of flight testing compatible with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards, including more than 200 takeoffs and landings.

The flight tests included a full range of flight and performance maneuvers, according to officials with KleinVision, which developed the flying car. The takeoff and landing procedures were achieved without the pilot’s need to touch the flight controls, officials noted.

It took more than 100,000 manhours to convert design drawings into the two-seat dual-mode prototype powered by a BMW engine, officials added.

“AirCar certification opens the door for mass production of very efficient flying cars. It is official and the final confirmation of our ability to change mid-distance travel forever,” said Professor Stefan Klein, the inventor, leader of the development team and the test pilot.

“50 years ago, the car was the epitome of freedom,” added Anton Zajac, the project cofounder. “AirCar expands those frontiers, by taking us into the next dimension — where road meets sky.”

“Transportation Authority carefully monitored all stages of unique AirCar development from its start in 2017. The transportation safety is our highest priority. AirCar combines top innovations with safety measures in line with EASA standards. It defines a new category of a sports car and a reliable aircraft. Its certification was both a challenging and fascinating task,” said René Molnár, the director of the Civil Aviation Division of the Transport Authority of Slovakia.

Klein Vision has already completed tests of a new engine from ADEPT Airmotive and finalized drawings and technical calculations for the upcoming monocoque model with a variable pitch propeller expected to reach speeds over 300 km/h (186 mph) with a range of 1,000 km (621 miles).

The new production model is expected to be certified in 12 months, company officials noted.