Klein Vision’s AirCar has received a certificate of airworthiness by the Slovak Transport Authority after 70 hours of flight testing.
To achieve certification, the dual-mode vehicle completed more than 200 take-offs and landings and performed all flight and performance maneuvers. Small Vision said take-off and landing procedures were achieved without the pilot having to touch the flight controls.
“AirCar certification opens the door to mass production of highly efficient flying cars. It’s official and definitive confirmation of our ability to change medium-haul travel forever,” said AirCar inventor and test pilot Professor Stefan Klein.
Powered by a 1.6 liter BMW engine, the 1000 kg two-seat dual mode prototype was brought to life by a team of eight and over 100,000 working hours to convert design drawings into mathematical models with CFD analysis followed through wind tunnel testing and the construction of a full-scale prototype powered by a 15kW electric motor.
“The Transport Authority has been closely monitoring all stages of the unique AirCar development since its inception in 2017,” said René Molnár, Director of the Civil Aviation Division of the Slovak Transport Authority. “AirCar combines top innovations with safety measures in line with the standards of the European Aviation Safety Agency. It defines a new category of a sports car and a reliable aircraft. The certification was both a challenging and fascinating task.”
Klein Vision added that it has completed tests with a new lightweight ADEPT Airmotive aircraft engine and the design of an upcoming monocoque model with a variable pitch propeller that is expected to reach speeds of more than 300 km/h and a range. of 1,000 km.
“Klein Vision’s AirCar is an engineering marvel and we look forward to our long-term partnership,” said Raymond Bakker, ADEPT Technical Director.
The new production model is expected to be certified in 12 months.
“50 years ago, the car was the epitome of freedom,” says Anton Zajac, co-founder of the project. “AirCar is pushing those boundaries by taking us to the next dimension; where the road meets the sky.”
