Flying car with 620-mile range scheduled for upcoming launch

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Have you ever wished you could skip the traffic and just fly to your destination in the same vehicle you drove to the airport? That’s exactly what the Klein Vision AirCar is promising. After more than 30 years of development, this flying car is finally about to become a reality for early buyers.

Let’s see what sets the AirCar apart, how it actually works and what the future might hold for this ambitious project.

From the road to the sky in minutes

So, how does it work? The AirCar looks like a sleek sports coupe on the road, with four wheels and a design that would fit right in next to a luxury sedan. When you need to fly, you simply drive to a runway, press a button and watch as the wings unfold and the tail extends. The transformation takes about 80 seconds, and there’s no manual tinkering required. Once the wings are locked and the tail is in place, you’re ready for takeoff. The steering wheel transforms into a flight yoke, and extra pedals appear for rudder control. The controls are designed to be intuitive for pilots, so if you already have a private pilot’s license, you won’t need to learn anything new.

Performance that impresses

Under the hood, the production AirCar will offer three engine options, all 3.2-liter V6s from South African company Adept Airmotive. The base model puts out 280 horsepower, while the top version offers 340 horsepower with twin turbos. On the road, the AirCar can reach a top speed of about 124 mph, and it handles and feels much like a sports car. In the air, it cruises at 155 mph and can travel up to 620 miles on a single tank of fuel.

The cabin is not pressurized, so the recommended ceiling is 10,000 feet, but it could go higher with oxygen tanks. The AirCar runs on regular high-octane gasoline, and you can fill up at most gas stations. In terms of size, it is about as long as a Mercedes S-Class and narrow enough to fit in a standard parking spot.

THIS FLYING MOTORCYCLE CAN TAKE YOU FROM TRAFFIC TO SKY IN MINUTES

What licenses do you need to drive and fly the AirCar?

To operate the AirCar on the road, you will need a standard driver’s license, just like any other car. If you want to take to the skies, you’ll also need a private pilot’s license. According to Klein Vision, the AirCar is designed so that if you already have a private pilot’s license, you won’t have to learn anything new to fly it. This means owners will need both driving and flying licenses, along with access to a runway, to fully experience everything the AirCar can do.

Pricing and who the AirCar is for

The AirCar is expected to cost between $800,000 and $1.2 million, which puts it in the same category as high-end supercars and small private planes. It is geared toward mega-rich business travelers, air taxi operators and anyone who wants to skip traffic and simply fly over it instead.

How does it compare to other flying cars?

Unlike many flying car projects that never make it past the prototype stage, the AirCar is close to full certification and production. It is also one of the few with four wheels, making it truly road-legal in most places. While other companies have spent hundreds of millions on similar ideas, Klein Vision has achieved this on a much smaller budget.

What’s next? More seats and water landings

Klein Vision isn’t stopping with a two-seater. The company is already working on versions with three or four seats, and there’s talk of an amphibious model that could land on water. This would open up even more travel possibilities, such as island hopping or reaching remote lakes.

Kurt’s key takeaways

It’s wild to think that flying cars have been a daydream for so long, and now the AirCar is right on the verge of making it real. This is a vehicle you could actually see on the road and in the air pretty soon. Sure, you’ll need a pilot’s license and a pretty big budget, but the fact that something like this is even possible is pretty amazing. Honestly, the idea that we might spot a car rolling up to a runway and then lifting off in just a year or two is kind of crazy.

Are we truly prepared to share our skies with cars as easily as we share our roads? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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