AirCar, a dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle,听moved closer to production this week听after听fulfilling a key development milestone.听
Klein Vision鈥檚 patent protected听AirCar听completed a听35-minute flight from the international airport in Nitra to the international airport in Bratislava.听It was听AirCar鈥檚听142nd successful landing.听听
After landing, at a click of a button the aircraft transformed into a sports car in under three minutes and was driven by its inventor, Professor Stefan Klein and co-founder, Anton Zajac to downtown Bratislava, cutting the typical travel time by a factor of two.听
鈥淧rofessor Stefan Klein is the world leader in the development of user-friendly听flying听cars,鈥� said听Dr.听Branko Sarh, Boeing Co. Senior Technical Fellow.听听
鈥淭he 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.鈥�听
The听AirCar听Prototype 1 is equipped with a 160HP BMW engine with fixed-propeller and a ballistic parachute. Under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority, the听AirCar听has completed over 40 hours of test flights, including steep 45 degree turns and stability and manoeuvrability testing.听听
AirCar听Prototype 1 has flown at 8,200ft and reached a maximum cruising speed of 190km/h.听
AirCar听Prototype 2, the pre-production model, will be equipped with a 300HP engine and receive the EASA CS-23 aircraft certification with an M1 road permit. With its variable pitch propeller, the Prototype 2 is expected to have a cruise speed of 300km/h听and range of 1,000km (621听miles).听
鈥淭his flight starts a new era of dual transportation vehicles. It opens a new category of transportation and returns the freedom originally attributed to cars back to the individual,鈥� said Professor Klein after exiting the听AirCar听cockpit in Bratislava.听听
Anton Zajac, co-founder of Klein Vision, added:听鈥淎irCar听is no longer just a proof of concept; flying at 8,200ft at a speed of 100kt, it has turned science fiction into a reality.鈥�听