Renowned French synthesizer musician Jean-Michel Jarre has become the first person to experience flying in Klein Vision’s amazing flying car. Earlier this month, Jarre put his trust in this car with wings and boarded the AirCar at Piešťany Airport in Slovakia.
Klein Vision shared a video showing the brief flight, and Jarre appeared completely at ease as the car soared into the sky. After landing, he described the experience as feeling like something out of a Jules Verne book. One moment he was talking to the driver, and the next, he was airborne.
The AirCar is primarily the brainchild of Stefan Klein, the founder and CEO of the Slovakian company Klein Vision. It’s been in development for several decades. Remarkably, this vehicle has already amassed 130 flight hours and more than 520 takeoffs since its first flight in 2019. It even received a Certificate of Airworthiness two years ago.
This dual-mode vehicle can switch between being a car and an airplane with just a push of a button, which triggers the automatic retraction or deployment of its wings and tail in a bit over two minutes.
The AirCar runs on gasoline and is equipped with a BMW engine and a fixed propeller. It can cruise at a top speed of 119 mph (190 kph) and has flown up to an altitude of 2,500 meters (8,200 feet). The next iteration of the AirCar is anticipated to have a maximum cruising speed of 186 mph (300 kph) and a range of up to 621 miles (1,000 km) on a single tank of fuel. It takes off at around 75 mph after a 300-meter run-up, so anyone thinking of using it for commuting will need a sizable driveway.
For added safety, the AirCar comes with a parachute deployment system to be used in case of any engine failure or other emergencies while flying.
While many companies focus on developing small, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for city taxi services, the AirCar is more suited for travel between cities. After landing, it can drive off the runway and navigate regular roads.
Anyone wanting to operate the AirCar will need both a driver’s license and a pilot’s license. It remains uncertain whether Klein Vision will obtain regulatory approval for widespread use of this impressive vehicle.