Flying Cars!

Isabella Ospina, Staff Writer

The wait for a future of flying cars is over! Slovakia-based Klein Vision just announced its AirCar is airworthy in Europe after 20 years of development.

The tests took more then 200 take-offs and landings, and after completing 70 hours of flight testing, it has been deemed compatible by the European Aviation Safety Agency. For the first time, the flying car completed a flight between two cities in Slovakia.

The vehicle is very convenient. Its wings and tail fold and retract when on the road, and it fits in a normal parking space. It also includes a parachute, can reach an altitude of 8,000 feet, and reach speeds of more than 99 mph. The 2-seater is powered by a 1.6-liter BMW engine.

Pilots do not need to touch the flight controls in order to take off or land, and it needs 300 meters to take off. It runs on regular petrol-pump fuel and takes two minutes and 15 seconds to change from car into aircraft. It does, however, require a runway to land.

The Aircar could be considered a potential solution to the strain on existing transport infrastructures.