Someone get word to Marty McFly, because it seems flying cars are practically here. (In a very small, contained way.) Back in late 2020, we reported on a Slovakian company whose flying car prototype had just completed its first test flight. Now, that very same model is clear to take to the skies. The Klein Vision “AirCar” received a Certificate of Airworthiness by the Slovak Transport Authority.
Now that the AirCar has overcome this major hurdle, a whole lot of flying cars might just be in our future. Stefan Klein, the AirCar’s inventor, test pilot, and head of development team, said in a press release, “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.”
To reach certification was no small feat. The AirCar completed 200 takeoffs and landing, and 70 hours of flight testing in line with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards. Per Design Taxi, where we first saw this news, Klein Vision is next seeking a specific EASA certification that would allow the AirCar’s use for commercial purposes. For a project that’s only been underway since 2017, the journey from concept to certification was impressively fast. But not as fast as the AirCar itself, which can move from the road to the skies in under three minutes.
By the sound of it, the folks over at Klein Vision see a big future ahead for their flying automobile. In fact, they’re already looking ahead. Test flights on a new model are already underway. And they expect it to join its flying car sibling in certification next year.
“50 years ago, the car was the epitome of freedom,” project co-founder Anton Zajac said in a statement. “AirCar expands those frontiers, by taking us into the next dimension; where road meets sky.”
We may still be a bit away from the flying cars. But whew are we inching closer. Now, if only someone would develop a flying school bus…
