AirCar, a concept vehicle that combines a car and a light business jet, has successfully covered the 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) of sky connecting Nitra and Bratislava, Slovakia. It spent 35 minutes airborne and had a cruising speed of 170 km/h (105.6 mph).
Prof. Stefan Klein, the mastermind behind the project, promises up to 1,000 kilometers (619 miles) of range on a single tank of fuel and flight height up to 2,500 meters (8,200 feet). The pilot can take a passenger, as long as there is less than 200 kilograms (440 lbs) of weight between the two.
Converting the road car into an airplane proceeds automatically and only takes a few minutes. The wings slide into the sides, and the tail contracts until it clicks in to the rear bumper. A rear-mounted propeller provides the thrust while in the air.
This specific prototype uses a BMW-branded petrol engine rated at 160 PS (158 hp / 118 kW). A new modification is already in the works with 300 PS (296 hp / 221 kW) and a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph).
The AirCar has spent 40 hours in test flights so far. It still requires an airport runway to take off. The development took around two years and €2 million in investments.