Let’s take a step back quickly – can you believe we’re at a point now where someone has actually developed a flying car? It seems like just yesterday we were marvelling at how we could use a phone to tell our mate he’s talking kak again (thanks Google), and now it has come to this?

We shouldn’t shout from the rooftops just yet though, as Europe’s first legal model crashed on one of its test flights. Behind the wheel was none other than Stefan Klein, the inventor of the Aeromobil. Here’s Metro:

Stefan Klein was uninjured, but had to deploy an emergency parachute after the Aeromobil failed in flight.

The car was badly damaged in the crash – and the incident looks set to dent the reputation of a company who many tipped to be the first to bring a working flying car to market.

The creators have taken the setback in their stride though, and still believe their design will be responsible for revolutionising travel:

On the ground, the Czech-built vehicle can hit 100 mph – and it flies at up to 124mph on twin propellers. It can land on just 150 feet of grass, and fly for up to 430 miles. Its makers hope it will ‘change personal transport on a global scale.’

 If all goes according to plan the car will cruise at an altitude below that of both commercial and private planes and should be on sale within two years.

The biggest stumbling block, according to creators Vaculik, is government regulation and bureaucracy, which is one thing we certainly can’t see changing any time soon.

[source:metro]