Futuristic AirCar completes first passenger flight after years of testing
- KleinVision has completed the world’s first passenger flight
- The Slovakian firm achieved the milestone with its AirCar
- The flying car received an airworthiness certificate in January 2022
Published on Apr 29, 2024 at 6:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Adam Gray
Last updated on Apr 30, 2024 at 5:58 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
It’s official: KleinVision has completed the world’s first passenger flight with its AirCar.
And its first passenger wasn’t any regular Joe Bloggs, either.
The first passenger to take to the skies in the futuristic flying car was none other than the Godfather of electronic music, Jean-Michel Jarre.
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In a video posted by KleinVision, the AirCar is seen zooming down a runway on four wheels, before all of a sudden becoming airborne and ascending into the sky.
Then, a few minutes later, it lands back safely with Jarre and a pilot aboard.
The AirCar was awarded an official Certificate of Airworthiness by the Slovak Transport Authority back in 2022, after completing 70 hours of rigorous testing.
However, it’s not the only flying car to be given the green light.
Back in 2023, the ‘Model A’ flying car developed by Alef Aeronautics obtained a special airworthiness certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
It’s the first vehicle of its kind to gain official approval for a flight from the US government.
The AirCar, which transforms in minutes from a sports car to a plane, became the first flying car to complete an intercity flight in 2021.
The flying car has a 1.6-liter BMW engine, although KleinVision’s co-founder Anton Zajac told Sky News, “As soon as the technology improves, we will simply run on batteries.”
“We are bridging the gap between the road and the sky, giving cars the freedom they symbolized 50 years ago,” he added.
In order to get that freedom, you’ll not only need a driver’s license and a pilot’s license, but also a specialized two-to-three month flying course in order to operate the AirCar.
Made in Slovakia by Professor Stefan Klein and Mr Zajac, the AirCar isn’t the only flying car taking off.
In China, Xpeng’s six-wheel, all-terrain Land Aircraft Carrier eVOTL car has begun its air certification.
And it’s not the only flying car the firm is working on, with its X2 model recently completing a test flight across a Chinese city.
What’s more, the UK government said it expected electric flying taxis to be a reality by 2030 in its Future of Flight action plan.
“This is not science fiction. It has already started,” the report said.
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Adam Gray is an experienced freelance motoring journalist and content creator based in the United Kingdom. Using his media accreditation with manufacturers’ press offices, Adam test drives the latest cars and attends new vehicle press launches, producing written reviews and news pieces for a variety of lifestyle and business publications. Here at Supercar Blondie, Adam applies his journalistic skills penning social-first content around current news and trends. When he’s not behind the wheel of the latest car or writing up another viral story, Adam can be found at his local rink playing ice hockey or at the Riverside Stadium supporting his beloved Middlesbrough FC.
