The first flight for the Aeromobil Version 2.5, has been announced by it’s designer, Stefan Klein. The designer, who is from the Slovak Republic, has spent 20 years working on the design of his flying car. What makes the Aeromobil different from other flying cars is its practicality in the real world. It runs on regular gasoline just like any other car (unlike other flying cars which run on jet fuel) and can fit into any standard parking space or garage.
The 100-hp engine powers both the rear propeller and the front wheels of the car. The rear wheels do not receive any power from the engine and simply carry the rear fins and keep the car stable. The vehicle is light and weighs only 450 kg without fuel and passengers. There is minimal structure which consists of a steel tube frame and a carbon composite shell (used mostly in high end performance cars). As a car the Aeromobil is easy to operate and operates like any normal car. If the user wishes to fly the car, all they have to do is put the car into gear which transfers the power of the engine to the rear propeller and opens the wings. There are two steering wheels, one inside the other. The outer wheel is for driving purposes while the inner wheel is used for flight. The wingspan of the Aeromobil is 8.2 meters and it has a top speed of 200 kph with a range of 700 km in airplane mode.
The prototype is meant to attract investors to allow the Aeromobil to be produced commercially and make it available to the average consumer. With degrees in both mechanical engineering and fine arts, Klein is a very talented man who claims his design is “the intersection of technology and art.”. He also comes from a family of pilots and has served as the chief test pilot for the development of the Aeromobil. All that remains for Klein is to introduce his creation to the mass market and with the practicality and amazing design of the Aeromobil, his 20 years of hard work may just pay off.
