Flying Car Known as the AirCar Makes Its 1st Test Flight Between Airports

A prototype flying car known as the AirCar has flown its first test between airports in Slovakia in a flight that took 35 minutes.

The car, which is described as a "dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle,” can turn into a sports car in minutes after landing. It flew from Nitra to another airport in Bratislava, according to a press release.

The company that created it, Klein Vision, said the car has made its 142nd successful test flight and landing.

"It opens a new category of transportation and returns the freedom originally attributed to cars back to the individual," said inventor Stefan Klein. "AirCar is no longer just a proof of concept; flying at 8,200ft at a speed of 100 kt (115 miles per hour), it has turned science fiction into a reality." 

The car model used in the flight, an AirCar Prototype 1, has a 160 horsepower BMW engine with a fixed propeller and a ballistic parachute. The car has already completed more than 40 hours of test flights.

The car is a two-seater and can turn into a road car in under three minutes.

During the most recent flight, the car flew at 8,200-feet and reached a maximum cruising speed of 118 miles per hour, according to the company. 

It’s not clear how much a consumer version of the car would cost, but the prototype reportedly took $2.3 million to develop.

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