Klein Vision AirCar
The Klein Vision AirCar is a two-seat flying car designed by Štefan Klein and made in Slovakia. It was type certified as an aircraft in January 2022.[1]
Design and development[edit]
Slovak designer Professor Štefan Klein began working on flying cars in the late 1980s. Having developed the AeroMobil, he left the company to develop a new idea as the AirCar, and set up Klein Vision with colleague Anton Zajac.[2][3]
The main fuselage of the AirCar doubles as a two-seat road car with four large road wheels. Styled like a sports coupe, it contributes 30-40 per cent of the total lift when in the air. For flight it is fitted with foldout wings and extending tailbooms carrying a high tail. A pusher propeller is permanently installed between the fuselage and tail, and a safety parachute is installed. Construction is primarily a semi-monocoque of carbon fibre composite over a steel subframe. Over 20 programmable servo motors are used to perform the transition between road and air configurations.[4][5] When on the road, the retracted tail surface creates a downforce similar to conventional rear aerofoils.[6]
Power is provided by a 1.6 litre BMW road car engine, running on automotive petrol or gasoline and delivering 104 kilowatts (139 hp).[5]
The prototype AirCar is of comparable length to a Mercedes S-Class saloon, at 5.2 metres (17 ft 1 in), and around 2 cm (1 in) narrower.[4] Overall weight is 1,100 kilograms (2,400 lb).[5]
A second, pre-production prototype is expected to have a monocoque fuselage with a more powerful 220 kilowatts (300 hp) engine.[4][7]
The design was type certified as an aircraft in January 2022 in Slovakia.[1] It also needs approval as a road vehicle before it can be used as such.
Performance[edit]
The prototype takes off at around 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph), after a run of 300 metres (980 ft).[4] Cruising speed in the air is said to be 170 kilometres per hour (92 kn) Range is estimated as 1,000 kilometres (620 mi), at a height of 2,500 metres (8,200 ft). The current version of the car can reach heights of 4,572 metres (15,000 ft). It is said to take two minutes and 15 seconds to transform from car into aircraft. [8]
Operational history[edit]
The prototype first flew on 22 or 27 October 2020.[9][3]
In June 2021 the prototype AirCar carried out a 35-minute flight between Nitra and Bratislava airports.[1][10]
On April 23, 2024 - KleinVision'sAirCar took to the skies with electronic music pioneer, Jean-Michel Jarre as its first passenger this month, signaling a new era of transportation innovation.[11]
See also[edit]
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- AeroMobil s.r.o. AeroMobil
- PAL-V: roadable autogyro
- Terrafugia Transition: sports coupe with folding wings
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Phelps, Mark (24 January 2022). "AirCar Notches Slovakian Airworthiness Certification". AVweb. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ Viknesh Vijayenthiran; "Klein Vision's flying car completes first intercity flight", Motor Authority, 1 July 2021. (retrieved 10 July 2021)
- ^ a b Anmol Ahuja; From dream to reality: Klein Vision’s “flying car” to glide over traffic woes, stir world, 5 Nov 2020. (retrieved 10 July 2021)
- ^ a b c d Jason Ford; AirCar navigates course to viable flying cars, The Engineer, 1st July 2021. (retrieved 10 July 2021)
- ^ a b c William Davis; "Klein Vision AirCar: Flying car prototype completes successful flight in Slovakia", Drive News, 2021. (retrieved 9 July 2021)
- ^ Dave Calderwood; "The Klein AirCar takes over from AeroMobil", Flyer, 18 August 2020. (retrieved 10 July 2021)
- ^ Zoe Kleinman; "Flying car completes test flight between airports", BBC, 30 June 2021. (retrieved 30 June 2021)
- ^ Klein Visions AirCar, Citizen Free Press, June 2021. (retrieved 1 July 2021)
- ^ Klein Vision vows to have flying car on market next year after first sorties, FlightGlobal, 4 November 2020 (retrieved 30 June 2021).
- ^ The flying car completes first ever inter-city flight (Official Video), Youtube, 29 Jun 2021.
- ^ "Press 2024 – Klein Vision". Retrieved 2024-04-27.
- Jack Guy; "Klein Vision AirCar completes 35-minute test flight in Slovakia", CBS, 30 June 2021.
External links[edit]
- Klein Vision company web site.
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