Slovak engineer Štefan Klein, creator of the AirCar flying vehicle, inducted into aviation hall of fame

Slovak engineer Štefan Klein, creator of the AirCar flying vehicle, has been inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation Awards hall of fame — an honour often compared to the "Oscars" of the aviation world. The news was reported by the portal tnlive.sk.

The award is presented to individuals who have achieved outstanding success in aviation and space exploration. Past laureates include pilots, astronauts, aviation engineers, entrepreneurs, as well as public figures and celebrities passionate about flight and dedicated to promoting aviation.

More than thirty years chasing a dream

Klein was recognised for over three decades of work that turned the dream of a flying car into a certified, fully functional vehicle — the AirCar. The 2026 European laureates' induction ceremony was hosted by actor, pilot, and LLAA member Morgan Freeman.

"Aviation has always belonged to dreamers, but only a few of them manage to turn the impossible into something that actually flies. Štefan Klein is one of them. He imagined a car with wings, spent years building it, and ultimately flew it," Freeman said.

Joining Klein among the 2026 European laureates were European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Raimund Riedmann, chief pilot of the Flying Bulls aerobatic team. The gala ceremony for the European laureates took place near Salzburg, Austria.

"It was an engineering challenge, not a fantasy"

Klein himself stressed that he never viewed the flying car as an unattainable fantasy. "A flying car was never a fantasy for me. It was a design and engineering challenge," he said. According to him, the main goal was to prove that it is possible to build a vehicle that is safe, reliable, practical — and beautiful at the same time.

The final version of the AirCar will be equipped with an Adept Airmotive engine producing 280 horsepower. According to the engineer's calculations, the vehicle will be able to cover up to a thousand kilometres on a single tank of fuel.

Source: novinky.cz