Future flight: Where’s my flying car?
Slovakian AirCar makes its maiden flight
Will the Klein Vision AirCar win the race to be the first viable flying car in this century? The latest generation flying car from designer Stefan Klein performed two 1,500-foot-agl flights in the pattern at Slovakia’s Piestany Airport. Its November 3, 2020, maiden flight puts the AirCar at the forefront of an industry where flying cars have been more fantasy than reality. The two-seater reportedly can achieve 107 knots with a four-cylinder BMW engine. It can transform from car to airplane in about three minutes, and the company says it will have a model with a 300-horsepower ADEPT engine in six months.
The first flying car was designed in 1949 by Mort Taylor. Only six were ever built. Few viable designs were introduced in the ensuing years, although the military tried out a flying Jeep. In 2009, Terrafugia introduced the Transition, designed by enterprising Massachusetts Institute of Technology students. More than 10 years later, the Transition is still in testing and Terrafugia is owned by Geely, a Chinese company that owns the Lotus and Volvo brands, among others.
A Dutch company is producing the PAL-V Liberty autogyro or gyrocopter, and claims it will be in full production in 2021 in India. Then there’s the Sampson Switchblade, Porsche and Boeing are working together, Hyundai is designing flying taxis, and Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce are getting in the game. Well? We’re waiting….
