Flying Car Manufacturer Aska Nabs FAA Flight Test Signoff

Aska’s A5—a car, eVTOL, fixed-wing glider hybrid—got an FAA greenlight for flight testing.

Jack Daleo

Friday, June 30, 2023 at 02:39 PM ET

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Aska’s A5 flying car, with wings and rotors unfolded, undergoes field testing. [Courtesy: Aska]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is increasing its focus on certifying "flying cars," with Aska's A5 recently obtaining special airworthiness approval for expanded flight testing.
Aska's A5 is a unique "street-legal eVTOL" that combines both vertical takeoff/landing (VTOL) and short takeoff/landing (STOL) capabilities, powered by a hybrid-electric system.
A key advantage of the A5 is its design to integrate with existing infrastructure, such as roads, parking, and airports, without requiring new modifications for operation.

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Though slow progress on advanced air mobility (AAM) rulemaking has so far kept electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft like air taxis grounded, the FAA is starting to turn its attention to an even more complex design: the flying car.

Following Alef Aeronautics’ announcement that its eVTOL-car hybrid received an experimental special airworthiness certificate, another Jetsonian firm, Mountain View, California-based Aska, has obtained the same FAA approval. Now, Aska’s preproduction four-seater A5, first unveiled in January at CES 2023 in Las Vegas, has the green light for expanded flight testing.