Car cleared for takeoff
Flying machine aims to transform travel
A REAL-life Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has been given the green light to take to the skies.
The AirCar, which transforms from a four-wheel motor into an aircraft in two minutes, has passed safety tests with flying colours.
It has been awarded an official Certificate of Airworthiness by the Slovak Transport Authority in tests compatible with the European Aviation Safety Agency, meaning it can be flown in EU nations.
And there are plans to make it a regular sight in the skies for London to Paris trips, allowing a pilot and passenger to roll off the runway and straight on to the road.
Developed by Slovakian company Klein Vision, eight specialists spent more than 100,000 hours painstakingly converting design drawings for the AirCar into reality.
The car-o-plane had to complete 70 hours of flight tests and 200 takeoffs and landings to be cleared by the authorities.
It will now go into production with a launch expected in a year, although there is no price tag yet.
Sensational footage shows it soaring through the air and then landing and hitting the road looking like a souped-up sports car with a massive spoiler at the back.
The two-seater has a single propellor, uses a BMW engine and can reach a height of 8,000ft and speeds of up to 100mph.
Inventor and test pilot Professor Stefan Klein said: “AirCar certification opens the door for mass production of very efficient flying cars.
“It is official and the final confirmation of our ability to change mid-distance travel for ever.”
Project co-founder Anton Zajac added: “AirCar expands those frontiers by taking us into the next dimension, where road meets sky.
“We have plans to fly to London from Paris in the near future.” The Slovak Transport Authority said the car was rigorously tested with safety at the heart of the checks.
Its director Rene Molnar said: “The transportation safety is our highest priority.
“It defines a new category of a sports car and a reliable aircraft. Its certification was both a challenging and fascinating task.”