Flying cars have long ceased to be an element of science fiction books. Many companies are working on this type of vehicle, mainly to be able to offer a “flying cab” type service within cities.
Klein Vision: The first test of a car flying from city to city
There is still a long way to go to be able to have them safely over our heads, but the tests that are being carried out show that we are not as far away as we thought a few years ago.
These vehicles, although they are called “flying cars” are more a mix between drones and helicopters, but there is one that does resemble the concept we have in mind when we think of a car that flies.
It is the project of a Slovak company known as Klein Vision, a company that has already made the first test with the vehicle flying between the cities of Nitra and Bratislava, between their airports, to be more precise.
It was a 35-minute trip, and the end was spectacular, with a push of a button the wings folded and it parked on the runway.
The flying car has already made 142 successful landings and has more than 40 hours of test flights under its belt. Its inventor is Stefan Klein, and he believes he has reached the point of considering it more than just a concept.
The car has two seats and reaches speeds of 170 km/h at an altitude of just over 2 kilometers. He claims to have achieved steep 45-degree turns as part of his maneuverability tests, although no videos are showing that part.
The AirCar requires a runway for landing and takeoff, has a 160 hp BMW engine with a fixed propeller and a ballistic parachute. They are now trying to get CS-23 aircraft certification for normal, utility, aerobatic, and commuter aircraft from European aviation regulators.
