- The Switchblade
- Transforms into an Airplane With the Press of a Button
Samson Sky, a commercial flying car company announced in late July that its Switchblade model passed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspection and is now cleared for flight tests. The Switchblade is moving closer to becoming the first flying car available in the United States.
Sam Bousfield, the company’s founder, and CEO was previously an architect before launching his latest project, which is now fourteen years in the making.
According to Samson Sky: “The Switchblade is a three-wheel, street-legal vehicle that you drive from your garage to a nearby local airport”. The two-seater vehicle transforms into an airplane with the press of a button. The plane is capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 miles per hour and flying at a maximum altitude of 16,000 feet—roughly 20,000 feet lower than commercial jets fly. On the ground, engineers expect that cruising speeds of around 125 miles per hour will be possible.
The Switchblade will cost $170,000 when it launches. Customers who want to be on the list can do so for free, with a $2,000 deposit required within 45 days of the first flight.