The Slovak Transport Authority has issued an airworthiness certificate for the AirCar model, a first step towards commercial production of the invention. “AirCar certification opens the door to mass production of highly efficient flying cars,” said Stefan Klein, founder and CEO of KleinVision, a company that designed and manufactured the prototype for the automobile and aircraft vehicle.
“It’s an official and final confirmation of our ability to change medium-distance travel forever,” Klein said in a press release.
AirCar completed its first intercity flight in June 2021. The car is powered by a BMW 1.6-liter engine and requires just 300 meters of runway.
It has a flight speed of 170 kilometers per hour and a flight range of 1,000 kilometers.
The process of switching from a car to a plane takes less than three minutes. Everything is automated, so all it takes to change it is a one-button command.
Before obtaining the certification, KleinVision said, the Slovakian flying car had to complete 70 hours of flight testing, with more than 200 takeoffs and landings.
“Based on the fact that the aircraft meets the requirements of the national regulations established for individually manufactured aircraft and that the required level of safety has been demonstrated, the Slovak Transport Authority (STA) has issued a certificate of airworthiness,” said the director of the Slovak airline. STA, René Molnard, to AFP.
According to Molnar, after the STA has issued the certificate, AirCar can apply for certification for this type of aircraft. “Once you get the certificate, you can manufacture the aircraft commercially,” he added.
