Courtesy : www.tripoto.com
flying car innovation
Do you remember the movies “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”, “Total Recall”, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, and the “Blade Runner” ? Movies which featured flying cars, a fictional invention with the cars being capable of flying in the air as well as travelling on the road. But have you ever thought that it can genuinely happen in reality?
To your utter dismay, it is possible. And to be more precise, the fiction has been achieved by Klein vision of Nitra in Slovakia. An extraordinary invention of a “flying car”, has received green signal to start its operations; as per the Press Release by the company and latest reports.
What are the salient features of the flying car?
As per the details shared by the company, it can be driven as a car on the roads. The vehicle can then transform itself to an aeroplane. The current version is capable of flying 2 people at a speed of almost 100+ miles per hour. It can land and take-off without the pilot’s intervention on the flight controls.
Which were the tests undertaken by the AirCar?
Several rounds of air and ground tests were conducted under the vigilance of the Slovak Transport Authority. The Certificate of Airworthiness was granted after clearing all the tests and standards defined by the European Aviation Safety Agency. The AirCar completed more than 200 takeoffs and 70 hours of test flights, as specified by the agency.
The press release by Klein vision stated, “The challenging flight tests included the full range of flight and performance maneuvers and demonstrated an astonishing static and dynamic stability in the aircraft mode. The takeoff and landing procedures were achieved even without the pilot’s need to touch the flight controls.”
Effort and skill that went behind in designing and developing the AirCar
More than 100,000 hours of effort were devoted in designing and developing the wonder AirCar. A team of eight specialists designed and converted the drawings into 3D models. The models were then subjected to wind tunnel testing. The next task was to create a two-seater prototype, powered by a 15KW engine. As per a spokesperson of the company, the current version of the flying car is being operated and powered by remote control.
Stefan Klein, the founder of Klein Vision, stated, “AirCar certification opens the door for mass production of very efficient flying cars. It is official and the final confirmation of our ability to change mid-distance travel forever.” He himself had led the development team and was the test pilot for the initial model.
Future plans of the flying car
The flying car will be available for purchase by next year as per the statement released by a spokesperson of Klein Vision. But the disclaimer is, only licensed pilots will be eligible to fly the AirCar. The price is will vary between USD 550,000 and USD 1.1 Million, depending on the variation in the features like GPS or the recent technological changes.
René Molnár, the director of the Civil Aviation Division, stated, “AirCar combines top innovations with safety measures in line with EASA standards. It defines a new category of a sports car and a reliable aircraft. Its certification was both a challenging and fascinating task.”
The flying car is truly a spectacular innovation in the automobile and the aviation industry. The price is huge but eventually we need to be aware that its a flying car not an ordinary vehicle.