Future flying cars

The FAA has granted an airworthiness certificate to a prototype of a flying car.

"Exciting news! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has just granted an airworthiness certificate to a groundbreaking flying car prototype. This innovative vehicle, developed by a California startup called Alef Automotive, is not only fully electric but also capable of both flying in the air and travelling on roads, making it the first of its kind to receive official approval from the US government.

Dubbed the 'Model A,' this remarkable vehicle/aircraft is designed to function like a regular car, including the ability to park in a normal parking space. However, it goes beyond conventional cars by offering vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. It can accommodate one or two occupants and boasts an impressive road range of 200 miles, along with a flying range of 110 miles.

Alef Automotive plans to sell each vehicle for $300,000, with the first deliveries expected by the end of 2025. The FAA has confirmed that the company has been issued a special airworthiness certificate, which allows for limited purposes such as exhibition, research, and development.

While there are other companies working on all-electric VTOLs (vehicle takeoff and landing aircraft), the FAA acknowledges that Alef is not the first to receive a special airworthiness certificate. However, Alef emphasizes that its vehicle stands out due to its unique ability to operate both on roads and in the air, seamlessly blending into the regular traffic flow and parking like any other car.

 Expressing his excitement about the FAA certification, Jim Dukhovny, CEO of Alef, enthusiastically stated, "Receiving this certification from the FAA fills us with immense joy and satisfaction."It brings us one step closer to providing people with an environmentally friendly and faster commuting option, saving individuals and companies valuable time each week. It's a small step for planes, but a giant leap for cars.'

According to Alef's website, the flying car will be certified as a 'low-speed vehicle,' meaning its maximum speed on a paved road will be around 25 miles per hour. Alef's flight capabilities can be utilized by drivers assuming they require a faster route... However, the company still needs approval from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to legally operate on roads.

The development of this extraordinary vehicle began back in 2015 when four friends, Constantine Kisly, Pavel Markin, Oleg Petrov, and Jim Dukhovny, inspired by the 'Back to the Future movies, decided to form a company with the ambitious goal of creating flying cars that were once depicted as a futuristic concept.

Alef Automotive successfully conducted an initial automated test flight of a skeletal version of the car in 2018, followed by a full-size prototype the following year. However, the company required the FAA's special airworthiness certificate to continue their necessary research and development.

Earlier this year, Alef announced that they had received over 400 refundable pre-orders for their flying car, with a cost of $150 to be in the general queue or $1,500 for the priority queue."