Slovakia’s Klein Vision AirCar Flying Car

Apparently, Stefan Klein is a man with a vision. Hence, Klein Vision, s.r.o., which has led him to develop and, now, successfully test fly his AirCar flying car.

The AirCar looks similar to the Batmobile, but with wings and rudders that expand and retract to accommodate ground and air transportation. It can go from car to plane in less than 3 minutes. The recent first test flight of AirCar took place in Nitra, Slovakia.

Klein and his partner, Anton Zajac, have been honing their vision since 1989 when Klein was part of the development team behind the AeroMobil, which was the product of his university thesis, “AeroMobil – ‘Personal Vision of Transport System.’” AeroMobil 1 used a canard design with four lift surfaces across a wingspan of about 8 feet (2.5  meters) and a length of about 16 feet (5 meters).

By 1996, Klein unveiled AeroMobil II, which, along with its predecessor is on display in the aviation museum in Košice, Slovakia. Codenamed AM2, the second version executed the wing rotation around the main wing bolt to achieve the transformation from car to plane and vice versa.

In 2016, Klein left AeroMobil to co-found Klein Vision s.r.o. AirCar generates downforce using the spoiler and elevator in car mode while the entire surface generates lift in flight mode. Klein Vision is also developing three- and four-seat models, a twin-engine version, and an amphibious version.

The AirCar recently completed its maiden flight, but the company has not yet projected when it might be commercially available. This is understandable, as none of the world’s national or transnational aviation authorities have delivered certification requirements for UAM vehicles yet.

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