Flying Car Officially Airworthy

Technically, we’ve had flying cars for a while (they’re called helicopters, y’all). But now, we officially have ourselves a flying car. A car that goes from driving to flying in two minutes and fifteen seconds has been certified as airworthy by the Slovak Transport Authority. 

The aptly named AirCar is a real-life flying car capable of hitting speeds over 100mph and altitudes above 8,000 feet. It’s equipped with a BMW engine and runs on regular gas fuel. The AirCar drives like a car and takes off and lands like a conventional plane. It requires both a driver’s and pilot’s license in order to operate. 

The creator, Professor Stefan Klein, is excited:

“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 forever.”

We have a real-life Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, kids. 

Are Flying Cars FINALLY Here?!

If you ask Dr. Steve Wright, senior research fellow in avionics and aircraft systems at the University of West England, whether flying cars are in our near future…

“Yes… and no.”

Oh, come on, man!

“The personal-transport revolution is definitely coming but not really looking like this.”

I was hoping it would look more like this: 

“From a transport point-of-view, it has a niche – although, a very interesting niche.” 

Flying cars are niche? How many times in the past twenty years have you heard someone say, “I tHoUgHt We’D hAvE fLyInG cArS bY nOw.” It can’t be niche to want a flying car. Everyone wants a flying car.

GTFOOH, Dr. Steve. 

UberAir and SkyLyft Are Next…

A number of companies are working on unpiloted air-taxi services. We haven’t even finalized autonomous cars yet and they’re already thinking about autonomous air taxis? Settle down, y’all. One thing at a time. 

Advocates for autonomous air taxis believe the service will be a “convenient and flexible form of transport.” 

Boeing has also invested an additional $450 million into Wisk, a California-based autonomous air taxi company it owns along with Kitty Hawk. 

Next time you hear someone say, “I tHoUgHt We’D hAvE fLyInG cArS bY nOw” you can respond, “They’re working on it, alright! Settle Down!”