Japan Succeeds in Manned Flying Car Flight

Oita, Feb. 17 (Jiji Press)--A flying car flew over Tanoura Beach in the southwestern Japan city of Oita on Friday, marking the country's first successful manned outdoor flight of such a vehicle with transport ministry approval.

The flying car rose to a height of some 30 meters above the ground, traveling 400 meters in an autonomous flight for three and a half minutes.

The vehicle, which can carry two passengers, is 5.6 meters wide and 1.7 meters high, weighing 430 kilograms.

The day's test flight attracted about 400 people. It was conducted by MASC, an organization set up in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, western Japan, mainly by aviation and automobile-related companies to create an aerospace industrial cluster.

"The flight was comfortable without any shaking, with only minor vibration felt during hovering," said MASC leader Hiroshi Kirino, who boarded the vehicle in the day's flight.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]