Car that transforms into plane in just minutes cleared to fly

KleinVision hopes to roll out a production model of AirCar within 12 months

A car that transforms into plane in just minutes, has been cleared to fly after passing European safety tests.

The AirCar was approved for flying by the Slovak Transport Authority after it completed more than 200 take-off and landings in 70 hours of tests done to to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards

Now the company behind it, KleinVision, hopes to roll out a production model of the AirCar within 12 months.

“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.

And Anton Zajac, the project cofounder, added: “AirCar expands those frontiers, by taking us into the next dimension; where road meets sky.”

AirCar in car mode (KleinVision)

The company says it took experts more than 100,000 man-hours to convert design drawings into the final two-seater test vehicle, which is powered by a 1.6L BMW engine.

“The automated transition from road vehicle into an air vehicle and vice versa, deploying/retracting wings and tail is not only the result of pioneering enthusiasm, innovative spirit and courage; it is an outcome of excellent engineering and professional knowledge,” said Dr Branko Sarh, Boeing Co Senior Technical Fellow.

The certification of AirCar comes six months after its first successful inter-city test flight in Slovakia.

“Transportation Authority carefully monitored all stages of unique AirCar development from its start in 2017. The transportation safety is our highest priority,” said René Molnár, Transport Authority of Slovakia’s director of the Civil Aviation Division.

“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.”