AirCar, a dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle, recently fulfilled a development milestone with a 35-minute flight from the international airport in Nitra, Slovakia to the international airport in Bratislava, Slovakia on June 28.
After landing, at a click of a button the aircraft transformed into a sports car in under three minutes and was driven by its inventor, Professor Stefan Klein and co-founder, Anton Zajac to downtown Bratislava, cutting the typical travel time by a factor of two.
The AirCar Prototype 1 is equipped with a 160-horsepower BMW engine with a fixed-propeller and a ballistic parachute. The AirCar has completed over 40 hours of test flights, including steep 45 degree turns and stability and maneuverability testing. AirCar Prototype 1 has flown at 8200 ft. and reached a maximum cruising speed of 118 mph.
AirCar Prototype 2, the pre-production model, will be equipped with a 300-horsepower engine and receive the EASA CS-23 aircraft certification with an M1 road permit. With its variable pitch propeller, the Prototype 2 is expected to have a cruise speed of 186 mph (162kt) and range of 621 miles.
Watch the video above to see footage from the AirCar’s first inter-city flight.
