A flying car from Slovakia has received formal permission to fly like an aircraft, a spokesman for the Slovakian Transport Ministry said Wednesday.
Produced by the company Klein Vision in the Slovakian city of Nitra under the name "AirCar," the mixture of car and small aircraft completed its first flight between the airports of two cities in June 2021.
In half an hour, it flew from Nitra to the Slovakian capital Bratislava, 75 kilometres away.
Since then, it has successfully completed all the tests required to obtain an official flight permit from the Slovakian aviation authority, Klein Vision said.
The hybrid aircraft has now completed 200 take-offs and landings and a total of 70 flight hours. The company plans to offer direct flights between Paris and London in the near future.
The "AirCar," developed by company founder Stefan Klein, can drive on the road like a normal car and, after unfolding its wings, transform into an aeroplane in just under three minutes.
Klein and his partners had already presented the hybrid model, initially under the name "Aeromobil," at several international automotive trade fairs since 2013, causing a worldwide sensation.
Later, Klein parted ways with his original financial partners and founded his own company, which now wants to market the flying car under the name "AirCar."
